IPL 2025: MI`s all-round show helps defeat DC, qualifies for the playoffs

Top-order batter Suryakumar Yadav’s quickfire half-century powered Mumbai Indians (MI) into the IPL Playoffs with a 59-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory took MI to 16 points, thus making them the fourth team to enter Playoffs, while the defeat ended DC’s slim hopes of making it to the knockouts.
Santner, Bumrah shine.

Chasing 181, DC were bowled out for just 121 in 18.2 overs. Spinner Mitchell Santner (3-11) and pacer Jasprit Bumrah (3-12) claimed three wickets each for MI, while Sameer Rizvi  (39 off 35 balls) top-scored for DC.

MI players celebrate the wicket of DC opener KL Rahul

Earlier, in their must-win encounter, DC’s disciplined bowling gave MI a tough time initially, before India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar (73 not out off 43 balls, 7×4, 4×6) helped the hosts post 180-5 in the allotted 20 overs.

In the 19th over bowled by DC pacer Mukesh Kumar (2-48), the visitors conceded 27 runs while pacer Dushmantha Chameera’s (1-54) 20th over went for 21 runs, as MI amassed 48 runs off the last 12 balls. Suryakumar and No. 7 Naman Dhir (24 not out off eight balls, 2×4, 2×6) changed the equation in favour of MI, stitching 57 runs off just 21 deliveries during their sixth-wicket unbeaten partnership.

After MI’s two overseas batters — South African Ryan Rickelton (18-ball 25) and one-drop Englishman Will Jacks (13-ball 21) — failed to capitalise on a good start, Suryakumar and Tilak Varma (27-ball 27) rescued the hosts. Suryakumar and Varma stitched 55 runs off 49 balls for the fourth-wicket stand.

Kuldeep keeps it tight

With MI at 80-3 after 10 overs, Suryakumar and Varma, who were on 15 and 10 respectively at the halfway mark, hardly got an opportunity to change gears. Some tight bowling, especially from wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (1-22), compelled both Suryakumar and Varma to rotate the strike, take singles and doubles, and occasionally earn fours. In all, DC bowlers bowled 40 dot balls during the MI innings. 

Varma, who took 14 balls for his first 13 runs and scored only one four, got his first big hit, a six on the 15th ball he faced over the ’keeper’s head off pacer Chameera. Unlike Suryakumar’s natural attacking game, he too needed 21 balls for his first maximum. Suryakumar got his half-century in 36 balls with a six off Mustafizur Rahman (1-30) over the extra cover boundary.

DC’s regular skipper Axar Patel was ruled out of the game due to a bad flu, and his deputy and former South African skipper Faf du Plessis used his experience quite well, leading the side with effective bowling changes and field placements, which was very effective, but for the first 18 overs.

Brief scores
MI 180-5 in 20 overs (S Yadav 73*, T Varma 27; M Kumar 2-48) beat DC 121 all out in 18.2 overs (S Rizvi 39; M Santner 3-11, J Bumrah 3-12) by 59 runs 

This article first appeared on Mid Day