Dream 11, IPL 2020, 51st Match 
Mumbai Indians (MI) VS Delhi Capitals (DC) 
Played at DSC, Dubai on 31st October 2020 
Mumbai Indians (MI) 111/1 in 14.2 Overs (Ishan Kishan 72*, Q de Kock 26) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) 110/9 (SS Iyer 25, RR Pant 21) by 9 Wickets 
Player of The Match: Ishan Kishan

Mumbai Indians, the reigning champions continued their majestic forward march in IPL 2020. They bulldogged Delhi Capitals (DC) by handing over a crashing 9 wickets defeat in the first match of the double header yesterday at DSC Dubai. 

While MI consolidated its position at the top of the point’s table the fate of DC still hangs of a balance. With 13 of the 14 matches of each team played the 3 teams that would join MI in the elite group of 4 hinges on the outcome of the last round matches. Apart from CSK languishing at the bottom any three of the 6 can still make it. What a fascinating contest of franchise cricket IPL 2020 has witnessed so far.

DC sprinting in the early stage of the tournament appears to have lost their steam at critical stage. Asked batting first on a slow low DSC wicket they made it batsmen’s graveyard struggling all the way of their innings for 110/9. True it was extremely challenging playing aggressive strokes but that was not a strong enough reason for batting without any plan. The fall of wickets would say it all. 1/1 (Dhawan), 2/15 (Shaw), 3/ 50 (Iyer), 4/57 (Stoinis), 5 /62 (Pant), 6/73 (Patel), 7/ 78 (Hetmeyer), 8/ 96 (Ravi Ashwin) and 9/110 (Rabada). None but Iyer (26) and Pant (21) batted with passion at all. True Bumrah (3/15) and Boult 3/21) are great bowlers who relishes bowling in the given condition, but a team perspiring to feature among the top four must adapt to conditions.

On the same wicket where DC batting found no clues MI cruised all the way racing to 111/1 in only 14.1 overs. Young Ishan Kishan stoked his way to a majestic unbeaten 72 in 47 deliveries striking 8 fours and 6 sixes. 

The big 9 wickets win took MI above sky high in the point’s table well clear of the pack. RCB, DC, SRH, KKIP, RR and KKR have theoretical opportunities. Any three of the six can make the top four joining MI. Pandemic must have created lot of mysterious in this wide-open IPL 2020.  

DST: 1230 HRS, NOV 01, 2020
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