The defending champions Mumbai Indians started their IPL 2024 campaign on a winning note after defeating Delhi Capitals by 29 runs in their opening match. MI put up a strong total of 234 runs on the board after opting to bat first. In response, DC fell short by 29 runs despite a valiant knock from Prithvi Shaw.
Jasprit Bumrah once again displayed his ace with the ball as he dismissed the well-set Shaw with a perfectly executed toe-crushing yorker. Shaw was looking settled at the crease and hitting the balls well before Bumrah’s delivery derailed his momentum. What makes Bumrah stand out is his ability to produce precise yorkers even under pressure situations to dismiss the batsmen.
The battle between Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma and Delhi’s Ishant Sharma was an interesting subplot early on in the MI innings. Rohit predictably started off aggressively against the experienced pacer. However, Ishant made a strong comeback after conceding 14 runs in the first two balls to keep the scoring rate in check. Both veterans knew each other’s game well from their international stint which added an extra layer of competitiveness to their individual battle.
Suryakumar Yadav’s return from injury was short-lived as he was dismissed for a second-ball duck. Anrich Nortje drew first blood for DC by trapping the in-form batsman in front of the stumps with a well-disguised full yorker. Yadav’s lack of game time seemed to have contributed to his soft dismissal.
At one stage, it looked like Delhi were out of the contest. But their batting order lacks proven match-winners other than David Warner which puts excessive reliance on him. If they want to qualify for the playoffs, DC would need to fix their fragilities in the batting department sooner than later in the tournament.
