Dwayne Bravo and Sanath Jayasuriya took two wickets each as Mumbai Indians thrashed Delhi Daredevils by 98 runs to take to the top place in the Indian Premier League at the Ferozshah Kotla, in Delhi, on Wednesday.
Sent in to bat, Sachin Tendulkar and Saurabh Tiwary smashed blazing half-centuries to help Mumbai Indians post a huge 218 for seven in their 20 overs.
In reply, Delhi never really threatened before finishing with just 120 for nine in 16.3 overs, suffering their first loss in the tournament in the process.
Captain Gautam Gambhir did not come out and bat after sustaining a hamstring injury while fielding.
Dwayne Bravo (2 for 11), Sanath Jayasuriya (2 for 17) and Harbhajan Singh (2 for 23) did well with the ball, as Mumbai Indians registered the biggest victory in IPL 3, the third highest in all three editions. The previous best in the ongoing tournament was also by Mumbai, 212 for six against Rajasthan Royals in their opening match.
Tendulkar, dropped on 36, came out all guns blazing to give Mumbai a flying start before he was dismissed for 63 from a mere 32 balls, inclusive of 11 boundaries.
Youngster Saurabh Tiwary hit his second straight fifty, slamming 61 from 37 deliveries, that was laced with four boundaries and three sixes.
Mumbai Indians:
Sachin Tendulkar displayed his golden touch right at the start, guiding a wide delivery from Dirk Nannes through point for a boundary off the first ball he faced in the opening over of the match. Mumbai's captain hit a boundary each in the next two overs to take the total to 29 for no loss after three.
He then helped himself to a couple of streaky boundaries, courtesy edges off Maharoof in the fourth over, as Mumbai got off to a flier. Things got worse for Delhi when captain Gautam Gambhir was forced to go off the field with a hamstring injury.
However, it was Maharoof who provided Delhi the first breakthrough, claiming the wicket of compatriot Sanath Jayasuriya for 7. The left-hander tried to loft it over mid-off but didn't get enough elevation and substitute Yogesh Nagar took a few steps back before leaping high and taking a one-handed catch and falling down in acrobatic fashion.
But the next two deliveries of the over were despatched for boundaries through mid-on and cover respectively by Tendulkar, who raced to 34 from 14 balls, as Mumbai put up 46 for one after four overs.
Aditya Tare, promoted up the order yet again, made his intentions clear as he slapped Pradeep Sangwan for a flat six over midwicket, in the next over.
Tendulkar, on 36, got a lifeline when he charged down to Sarabjit Ladda and tried to hit straight, but the resultant thick edge was dropped by Amit Mishra, at the point region, as he ran back.
Tendulkar made Delhi pay for the let-off as he stepped down the wicket to the next delivery and hit one straight back over the bowler for a boundary to get to 43 from just 18 deliveries.
Tare was looking only to attack the bowlers and he showed his intent by slamming one over the mid-off fielder for his second six. But, the very next delivery, Sangwan had his revenge, bowling the batsman in the seventh over. Tare was out after a quick 17 from 10 balls attempting another big shot.
Tendulkar then raced to his half-century off just 23 deliveries, inclusive of nine boundaries, in the eight over. It was the fastest half-century by any Mumbai Indians' batsman in the three editions of the IPL.
Saurabh Tiwary took no time to get going and swept Amit Mishra for a huge six over square leg. In the next over, Maharoof bowled a wide down the leg side and gave away five runs, as Mumbai raced past the 100-run mark after nine overs, the fastest in this year's IPL.
Tiwary creamed a full delivery from Maharoof through the point region to take Mumbai to 112 for two after ten overs.
Mishra also suffered, as Tendulkar hit him for back-to-back boundaries. However, the leg-spinner had the last laugh by dismissing the master batsman.
Tendulkar was caught at long-off after a cracking innings of 63 from 32 balls, inclusive of 11 boundaries, that gave Mumbai a solid platform for a huge total.
The in-form Ambati Rayudu was sent ahead of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo. The Mumbai youngster also did not waste any time in settling down and hit Mishra straight over for a big six. Mumbai 136 for three after 13 overs.
Tiwary continued to bat in his trademark, attacking, fashion and dismissed Sangwan for a huge six over long-on to race to 37 from 22 balls.
Rayudu took leg-spinner Ladda to the cleaners, hitting a boundary and a six straight down the ground as Mumbai went to 165 for three after 15 overs.
It continued to rain sixes at the Kotla as Rayudu pulled a short delivery from Nannes over midwicket and Tiwary lifted Mishra over the sightscreen for another maximum in the 17th over.
Tiwary completed his second successive half-century from 31 deliveries by sweeping Mishra through midwicket for a boundary. Mumbai were 187 for three after 17 overs and set for an imposing total.
Maharoof gave Delhi temporary relief when he claimed the wicket of Rayudu, caught at long-off after a brisk 34 from 21 balls, that was laced with a boundary and three sixes.
Debutant Kieron Pollard (1) also got an early reprieve when Mishra, running in from long-on, failed to hold on to a difficult catch off Nannes in the 19th over.
Tiwary's smashing knock of 61 from 37 balls, that included four boundaries and three sixes, came to an unfortunate end when he was run-out by Karthik.
Dwayne Bravo started the last over with a huge six, but two deliveries later was caught at midwicket for 9.
Pollard also failed to shine in his first outing in the IPL. He scored 10 before being stumped off the final delivery of the innings.
Mumbai Indians finished on a huge 218 for seven in their 20 overs, the highest score in this year's tournament. For the second match in a row they crossed the 200-run mark.
With Gambhir struggling with a hamstring injury, Delhi's chances rest on Virender Sehwag and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Delhi Daredevils:
With Gambhir unavailable because of the hamstring injury he suffered while fielding, Delhi sent in Tillakaratne Dilshan to open the innings with Sehwag.
Dilshan went on the attack from the first ball, hitting Zaheer Khan over mid-off for a boundary. Sehwag finished the over in the same fashion, flicking one through the vacant fine leg region. The two batsmen repeated the dose in the next over.
Lasith Malinga got the first wicket for Mumbai. He foxed Dilshan with a slower delivery and had him bowled for 17.
Dwayne Bravo, who arrived earlier in the day after a long flight from the Caribbeans, showed no signs of jet lag as he claimed two wickets in his second over.
Sehwag, who had scored 26 from 16 balls, hit one straight down the throat of the fielder at mid-off. Four deliveries later, AB de Villiers dragged one back to his stumps as he attempted to cut Bravo after scoring 11.
Dinesh Karthik started in style, hitting three consecutive boundaries off the first three deliveries he faced. But, like his team mates before him, he also did settle down to play a big innings. After scoring 16 from six balls he was brilliantly stumped by Aditya Tare down the leg side off Harbhajan Singh.
Sanath Jayasuriya struck with his first delivery of the game as Mithun Manhas hit one straight to R Satish at long-off.
Farveez Maharoof decided there was no point in hanging out in the middle and went after Harbhajan, hitting him for a boundary and two sixes in a row.
But the experienced Jayasuriya cut short his cameo and had him stumped after a quick 28 from 18 deliveries as he looked to charge down the wicket.
Big money-signing Kieron Pollard made his first meaningful contribution of the game when he beat Amit Mishra all ends up, bowling him for 3.
Pradeep Sangwan was run-out for 4, caught short by a direct hit from Bravo at point.
Harbhajan then finished off things, bowling Dirk Nannes for 3 as Delhi Daredevils were bundled out for 120 in 16.3 overs.
In the end, Gambhir's absence because of injury proved a big blow. Equally hurting was Dilshan's poor run of form in the three matches the team has played so far.
So, thus far, it can be said Mumbai have looked the most convincing of all the eight teams, especially with their batsmen firing on all cylinders.
With this thumping victory, Mumbai Indians jumped to the top of standings with four points from two games, while Delhi slipped to third, behind Kolkata Knight Riders.
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