IPL 2022: Axar Patel and Lalit Yadav became unlikely heroes with the racquet on Sunday as the Delhi Capitals stunned the Mumbai Indians in their opening game in Mumbai. IShan Kishan’s 81 not-out was in vain as the five-time champion continues to await victory on opening day.
IPL 2022: DC stuns MI after Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel Late Blitz (courtesy of BCCI)
Mumbai Indians were stunned! The Rohit Sharma-led side’s wait to win the tournament’s opener was extended to 10 years as Delhi Capitals clinched victory from the jaws of defeat in Match 2 of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) at Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing 178, Delhi Capitals looked beat and dusted as Murugan Ashwin and Basil Thampi progressed through their batting order. Rishabh Pant’s side faltered past at 104/6 in the 14th, despite their captain’s face looking somber in the dugout.
DC Stun MI: IPL 2022 Highlights
Little did Pant know that Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel would emerge as their bat-wielding heroes. While Lalit smashed 48 balls from 38, Axar hit 38 balls from 17 as the duo sewed a 75-run stance in just 7 overs and brought India star pacer Jasprit Bumrah to the clean.
The Mumbai Indians didn’t ride out on Ishan Kishan’s 81 as the wicketkeeper-batter lived up to his enormous price tag in the opening game. The Indian star, who became the most expensive buy at the IPL 2022 mega-auction after MI bought him back for Rs 15.25 crore, hit 81 in just 49 balls as Mumbai hit 177/5 in 20 overs.
ISHAN MEETS EXPECTATIONS
Ishan Kishan exuded confidence as he was happy to play second fiddle to Rohit Sharma in their opening 67-run partnership. Ishan hit 11 boundaries and 2 sixes while carrying the bat, though he did get a smack on his toe near the end of the innings.
Ishan picked up the attack against Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur, who turned left arm, while the Delhi Capitals missed out on their big names including Anrich Nortje, who is still recovering from injury.
While Rohit Sharma hit a 32-ball 41 and the highly rated Tilak Verma hit a speedy 15-ball 22, there were no notable contributions from the rest of the Mumbai batting unit.
However, Ishan continued to produce the big hits as the Mumbai Indians rallied 54 runs in the final 4 overs to put pressure on Rishabh Pant, who won the toss and decided to field.
Delhi followed 178 and got off to a good start when New Zealand big hitter Tim Seifert took over the attack on the New Ball bowlers, but Rohit Sharma’s decision to pick leg spinner Murugan Ashwin in the 3rd over did the trick, as he castled the New Zealand star.
Seifert showed brilliant flashes but couldn’t go on and lay claim to the top order, which will be filled by David Warner when the Australian new signing joins Delhi.
