Highlights, IPL 2018, Match 9: Jason Roy slams unbeaten 91 as Delhi Daredevils beat Mumbai Indians
Delhi Daredevils defeated Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets in a high-scoring match to register their first win of the season.
IPL 2018, MATCH 9, MI VS DD HIGHLIGHTS
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Day 2 of the Match 9 of the IPL 2018 between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Missing the live cricket action on TV? Catch all the MI vs DD live updates and ball-by-ball commentary here through our live blog. Delhi Daredevils won the toss and opted to bowl vs Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Jason Roy and Dan Christian come in for the visitors, while Mumbai have included Akila Dananjaya and Hardik Pandya in place of Ben Cutting and Pradeep Sangwan respectively. Mumbai started briskly as they posted 84/0, the highest powerplay score in IPL. Winless title-holders MI and an equally sluggish DD will be eager to notch up their first points when they clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL) today. SCORECARD
While Mumbai went down to Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad by identical one-wicket margins in edge-of-the-seat thrillers, Gautam Gambhir-led Delhi succumbed to Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in their first two games. Mumbai's batting line-up which boasts of attacking players like skipper Rohit Sharma, West Indians Elvin Lewis, Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav has failed to fire in unison in the first two games. Delhi, on the other hand, also possess top batsmen but they too haven't been able to perform to their potential till now. Expectations will be high from local boy Shreyas Iyer, apart from captain Gambhir, Rishabh Pant, Aussie Glenn Maxwell, Englishman Jason Roy and Kiwi Colin Munro. (IPL 2018 MI VS DD ONLINE LIVE STREAMING FREE ON HOTSTAR)
IPL 2018, MUMBAI INDIANS VS DELHI DAREDEVILS, HIGHLIGHTS
DELHI DAREDEVILS INNINGS
19.38 IST: Finally! Roy takes a single and DELHI WIN BY 7 WICKETS! Roy unbeaten on 91! Delhi register their first win this season.
19.35 IST: Three dot balls and Delhi need 1 off 1 ball to win!
19.33 IST: SIX! Roy hits Mustafizur for a maximum! Game, set, match! Jason Roy has done it on his own. Rahman lets out a length ball in line of the stumps. Roy walks across and helps it over the fine leg fence for half a dozen. Wow!
19.32 IST: FOUR! Roy hits Mustafizur for a boundary off the first over! This is bowled full and angled away from Roy. He reaches out and carves it over extra covers for a boundary. 7 needed from 5 balls
19.29 IST: Delhi need 11 runs in 6 balls! Mustafizur to bowl the last over
19.23 IST: FOUR! Iyer hits Mustafizur for a boundary to end the over. Nice way to end the over! Iyer is making Mumbai pay now. Short in length yet again, he stays back and pulls it. Bisects the gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket and gets a boundary. 16 needed off the last two overs. DD 179/3 in 18 overs
19.17 IST: FOUR! Another one. Short in length outside off, Iyer camps back and cuts it fiercely. Makes good contact and earns a boundary. DD 171/3 in 17 overs
19.15 IST: FOUR! Length ball angling in, Roy stands tall and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
19.11 IST: FOUR! Iyer hits Krunal for a boundary! Not good from Rahul Chahar the sub. Flatter outside off at a quicker pace, Iyer stays back and cuts it through point. Should have been two at the most but the fielder in the deep fails to stop it cleanly. Concedes a boundary. DD 160/3 in 16 overs
19.09 IST: SIX! Roy hits Krunal for a maximum! Humongous strike that! Floated up outside off, Roy gets down the track to strike it big. Is nowhere near the ball, yet he goes through with the shot. The ball goes high up in the air and lands behind the sightscreen.
19.08 IST: SIX! Iyer hits Dananjaya for a maximum. Shreyas Iyer plays for Mumbai in the domestic circuit and hence, these conditions aren't alien to him. He gets his front leg out of the way and deposits this over mid-wicket for a maximum. DD 148/3 in 15 overs!
19.05 IST: OUT! Hardik Pandya, you beauty! What a screamer that is. He has just made the Wankhede crowd go bonkers with that catch. The Pandya brothers combine to send Glenn Maxwell packing. Krunal serves it outside off, slower through the air. Maxwell, with the mood that he was in, looks to take him on and goes with an aerial stroke towards wide long off. Hardik covers good ground running to his left from long off. He knows he wouldn't be able to reach it. Hence, flings himself forward and takes that catch safely. Post that, he stands and signals that he BELONGS here! Terrific stuff that, one to be watched on loop. DD 135/3 in 13.2 overs
18.54 IST: OUT! Krunal removes Pant for 47! Great catch by Pollard near the boundary!
18.52 IST: FOUR! Pant welcomes Krunal with a boundary off the first ball! He delivers this slower through the air. Pant gets low and hits it straight over the bowler's head for a boundary.
18.49 IST: FOUR! Roy is unstoppable today! Hits Bumrah for a boundary over mid-off. Full ball outside off, Roy clears his front leg and hits it over mid off. Pollard there, leaps high but can't do much. Is on the floor as he seems to have hurt when he landed. The ball goes to the fence. DD 113/1 in 11 overs
18.48 IST: FIFTY FOR ROY OFF 27 BALLS! 1st fifty in the Indian T20 League for Jason Roy. He's putting up a nice show here. Steers this past point for a brace to bring the landmark.
18.45 IST: SIX! Pant hits Dananjaya for a maximum over long on. This looks like some highlight package, exclaims my mate here! Pant wears his dancing shoes and gets down the track in a flash. Post that, he dismisses the ball from his presence by hitting it straight out of the ground. Brings up the 50-run stand between the duo, along with the team 100. DD 104/1 in 10 overs
18.43 IST: FOUR! Pant now hits the second ball for a boundary to fine leg. This is clever. Expects a quicker full ball from the spinner. Gets it and sweeps it fine down the leg side for a boundary. 10 off the first two balls of the over.
18.43 IST: SIX! Pant welcomes Dananjaya with a maximum in the first ball. Looped up ball around middle, Pant uses his feet to get to the pitch of the ball. Gets there and smites it straight over the bowler's head for a biggie.
18.41 IST: FOUR! Pant reads Markande's googly early and pulls him for a boundary to square leg. Pant is having some fun here. Shorter delivery from Mayank, Pant hangs back and pulls it through square leg for a boundary. DD 85/1 in 9 overs
18.40 IST: SIX! Roy hits Markande for a maximum over long off! With the turn and massive! Roy hits this one over long off for half a dozen.
18.39 IST: FOUR! Pant hits Markande for a boundary via reverse sweep! Floated outside off, Pant reverse sweeps it through point for a boundary.
18.38 IST: Jason Roy survives a close call! Roy looks to cut this shorter delivery but gets an inside edge. The ball hits the boot and lobs up. Kishan runs to his right and forward and dives to take it inches above the ground. They begin celebrating but the umpire takes it upstairs. Replays show that Jason is safe as the ball hits the ground as well before lobbing up. DD 68/1 in 8 overs
18.30 IST: Back-to-back fours from Pant off Markande! DD 63/1 in 7 overs
18.27 IST: Good over from Mustafizur! Just 3 runs off it. End of powerplay and DD are 53/1 in 6 overs
18.22 IST: OUT! Bumrah removes Gambhir for 15! Try hard till you succeed, they say. Gautam Gambhir did just that. He was finding a way to get dismissed and walks out throwing his wicket away. Mumbai get the breakthrough they needed to sap the momentum, even though not the man they would have wanted. Rahman lands it on a shorter length, Gambhir looks to pull it away. Gets a top edge and the ball has only height and not the distance. It goes up to eternity and comes down in Rohit Sharma's hands at mid-wicket. 145 in 89 needed for the tourists. DD 50/1 in 5.1 overs
18.20 IST: FOUR! Roy takes life out of Hardik! Hits him straight down the ground for a boundary! No wonder why Ricky Ponting and Delhi decided to bring him in after two games. Gets a delivery on a length around off, he makes room and smites it over where it came from. Gets a boundary straight down the ground to bring up the 50 for Delhi. 21 off the over already. 50 up for Delhi in 5 overs!
18.20 IST: SIX! WHAT A SHOT! Better than the previous one! Short length delivery outside off, Roy hangs back and smites the pull out of Wankhede over deep square leg.
18.19 IST: SIX! This time it's Roy! The ball goes out of the park! Up, high and above! Full length ball on the stumps, Roy smacks it over long on for a biggie. It was the knuckle ball but didn't have any bearing on the batter's mind.
18.18 IST: FOUR! Gambhir hits Hardik for a boundary! This should ease Gambhir's nerves. Short in length, he stays on the back foot and pulls it towards deep backward square leg. Seems to have gone the distance. The umpire wishes to have another look and then sees that it has just bounced inside.
18.11 IST: Great over from Bumrah! He gives away just 2 runs. DD 25/0 in 3 overs
18.04 IST: FOUR! Roy putting pressure on Dananjaya with a boundary now! Roy doesn't let bad balls go unpunished. Dananjaya fires this one on a shorter length on the stumps. Roy clears his front leg and smites it past wide long on for a boundary. DD 23/0 in 2 overs
18.03 IST: SIX! Jason Roy hits Akila Dananjaya for a huge maximum! Roy doesn't need sighters. He welcomes Dananjaya to the Indian T20 League with a biggie. Tossed up off spinner around off, Roy blasts this over deep mid-wicket after shimmying down a bit.
18.02 IST: FOUR! Pandya errs in line and pays the price. Lands it on a length on the pads, Gambhir just tucks it away through backward square leg. Hardik is fuming as a good over gets spoiled. DD 11/0 in 1 over
18.00 IST: FOUR! Slapped away! Pandya lands it on a length outside off, Roy stands back and packs a punch through covers for a cracking boundary.
17.55 IST: We are back with Delhi Daredevils' chase! Gautam Gambhir and Jason Roy are out to open for Delhi while Hardik Pandya will start the proceedings for Mumbai.
MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS
17.43 IST: Mumbai Indians score 194/7 in 20 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede. Suryakumar Yadav 53, Evin Lewis 48, Tewatia 2/36. Trent Boult to Mayank Markande, 2 runs. SAFE! Fuller outside off, pushed towards deep point. Since it is the final ball, Markande wants two and goes back for the second. Christian runs to his left and fires a good throw to the keeper, who whips off the bails in spite of the dive from Mayank. The TV umpire is called for, who rules it in the batter's favor after having a look. 195 TO WIN FOR DELHI!
17.39 IST: Mayank Markande, the bowling wonder, walks in with the bat now.
17.38 IST: OUT! Boult removes Hardik Pandya for 2. Mumbai are falling down like sixpence here. Now, their quest to reach 200 seems even further. This is a full delivery from Boult on middle and leg. Hardik Pandya flicks it straight to Shreyas Iyer at deep mid-wicket, who takes it crouching low. Mumbai Indians 187/7 in 19.1 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede
17.25 IST: OUT! Shami removes Krunal Pandya for 11. Krunal Pandya has to walk back. Clever stuff from Shami. Lets out a slower one on a length. Krunal walks across and looks to paddle it over short fine leg. It goes off something to Tewatia at that position who catches and puts in an unsure appeal. The umpire doesn't seem to have nodded as the batters continue running. Suddenly, the third umpire is signaled to. Then it becomes clear that Delhi have reviewed. On replays, it is seen that the inside edge is skimmed and then the ball lobs off the thigh pad straight to the fielder there. So, that's it for the duo of Pandyas in the middle as the older brother walks back.
17.30 IST: What happened there? There is a appeal for a catch at short fine leg. It is taken upstairs.
17.27 IST: Hardik Pandya is next in.
17.26 IST: OUT! Boult removes Rohit for 18. Change in pace does it for Boult. Angles it away on a fuller length. Rohit looks to go downtown but ends up skying it high towards wide long off. Roy gets to his left and settles under it to take it safely. Mumbai's chances to finish on a high are getting hampered now. Mumbai Indians 179/5 in 17.3 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede.
17.20 IST: FOUR! Krunal joins the party now. Gets a full delivery in his zone. He blasts it over mid off for a boundary. Agony on Gambhir's face.
17.18 IST: 5th consecutive hat-trick chance in this tourney. Krunal Pandya, the new batter, will face it. Will we see a treble today finally?
17.17 IST: OUT! Christian removes Pollard for 0. Another one gone! Timber! Two-in-two for Dan Christian. Christian lands it on a length from over the wicket. Pollard walks down and across to flick it away but misses it altogether. The ball goes on to hit the stumps and Dan leaps in joy. Delhi striking quickly towards the end now. Mumbai Indians 166/4 in 15.5 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede
17.16 IST: Kieron Pollard walks in next. He currently has 149 sixes to his name in the league. Can he hit another one today?
17.15 IST: OUT! Christian removes Ishan Kishan for 44. Castled! Magnificent when they come off, absolute rubbish when they don't - the innovative shots. Ishan Kishan looks to play the switch hit but misses. It is a high full toss from round the wicket. The ball doesn't make contact with anything apart from the leg stump. End of an enterprising innings from Kishan. Mumbai Indians 166/3 in 15.4 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede
17.08 IST: FOUR! The adjective clever applies to the bowler this time. Shami bangs it short on the body. Kishan is cramped for room as he looks to pull. Seems to have gone off the helmet. The ball goes over the keeper and goes to the fence behind. Given as runs though.
17.06 IST: FOUR! Clever! Ishan Kishan is doing it easily here. Lets the length ball and a good pace come to him before opening the bat face. Beats the keeper as well as short third man and gets a boundary.
17.05 IST: Mohammed Shami is back on.
17.04 IST: FOUR! Not the ideal length to bowl at Christian's pace. Bangs it short on the stumps, Rohit gets inside the line and pulls it past short fine leg for a boundary.
17.00 IST: SIX! Ishan Kishan finishes this over with two back-to-back sixes. Not a right end to the spell for Tewatia! Kishan is all over him in the last three balls, taking 16 off them. Gets down the track to his one and smashes it high and long over long on for another biggie. 19 off this over, spoils Rahul's figures. MI 141/2 in 13 overs.
16.59 IST: SIX! Power and confidence inspired shot! Tossed up ball on the stumps, Kishan switches stance in a trice and takes it on the full. Makes nice contact on the switch hit as the ball sails over the deep backward point fence.
16.58 IST: FOUR! Half-tracker! There is no place for that in this format. Ishan Kishan had ample time to go back and pull it away in front of square on the leg side for a boundary.
16.56 IST: FOUR! Misdirected delivery, price paid! Fired down the leg side, Kishan just helps it away fine down the leg side for a boundary.
16.55 IST: FOUR! Rohit Sharma makes the bowler look rubbish with his fine touch, says Kevin Pietersen on air. This is flatter outside off by Maxwell. Rohit hangs back and deftly guides it just past the keeper for a boundary. Cleverly done.
16.53 IST: Interesting. As the Snicko was rolled in, there seems to be a slight spike. But the presence of the glove was ruled out in that Suryakumar Yadav wicket. Rohit Sharma seems to have seen the same from the dug out and had a word with the umpire after walking out to bat. Nothing doing though.
16.50 IST: Rohit Sharma walks in next at number 4.
16.49 IST: OUT! Tewatia removes Suryakumar for 53. Wicket lost, review stays! Yadav has to walk back after a good knock. This is a tossed up delivery on the stumps, Suryakumar looks to play the sweep but misses. Seems to be right in front of the stumps and hence the umpire raises the finger after the appeal. The batter has a chat with his partner and decides to have a re-look. There is nothing on Snicko to suggest the presence of bat. Hawk Eye shows that it would have just clipped the leg stick. Thus, the on-field call stays. Celebration for Delhi. Tewatia reaping rewards for his guile. Mumbai Indians 109/2 in 10.2 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede
16.47 IST: REVIEW! Is Suryakumar gone? He has been ruled out LBW but he decides to challenge the call. Only an inside edge can save him.
16.44 IST: FIFTY! Suryakumar Yadav hits his 2nd IPL half-century off 29 balls. He was pushed up the order in this game and boy, has he delivered! Goes back to this one and pushes it with soft hands towards wide long on and takes a brace. Raises his bat in acknowledgement. Even Sachin Tendulkar in the dugout is seen clapping. Mumbai Indians 106/1 in 9.4 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede
16.42 IST: The pint-sized dynamo, Ishan Kishan is the next man in for Mumbai.
16.41 IST: OUT! Tewatia removes Lewis for 48. A cat has seven lives, this pair had some moments going its way and the association has finally come to an end. Rahul Tewatia strikes, finally! This is another wrong 'un on middle. Lewis comes down the track to smash it out of the ground, yet again. Slices it high in the air again. This time the ball travels only as far as Jason Roy at long off. He takes it safely to end the 102-run opening stand. Mumbai Indians 102/1 in 9 overs vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede
16.39 IST: SIX! 100 up for Mumbai Indians. Highhh and jussst long enough! Seeing the flight on this delivery, Lewis slinks down the track to go big. Ends up slicing it in the air down the ground, as it was a googly. Roy gets there from long off but the ball just makes it over the fence.
16.34 IST: Glenn Maxwell to roll his arm over now. He has a bit about him says Nasser Hussain about him. The bloke is a fighter he opines. Let's see what he can do.
16.33 IST: Strategic break! A much-needed one for Delhi as well as for my fingers. Mumbai have just teed off from the word go and Rohit Sharma's move of not opening the innings seems to have worked wonders. Suryakumar Yadav has looked good so far and has stolen the show even as Evin Lewis has attacked from the other end. How long before Delhi strike?
16.29 IST: Leg spin time! Rahul Tewatia to bowl now.
16.28 IST: SIX! Ho, ho, ho! I'm running short of adjectives now, not even 6 complete overs into the game. This delivery is blasted over the long on region for another maximum. It was the slower ball and Lewis picked it pretty early. 84/0 in the Powerplay for Mumbai, truly bossing the game here.
16.27 IST: FOUR! Another one! This is seeming to be too easy for Mumbai. Now they go past Chennai's best score in the Powerplay in this edition - 75! Full again, outside off again. Lewis drives it through covers for another boundary. 12 off the first four balls.
16.26 IST: FOUR! Top draw from Evin Lewis. This is overpitched from Dan. Lewis just delays his muscled square drive. Waits a second extra and opens the bat face to get this through point. Two boundaries to welcome Christian.
16.24 IST: FOUR! Stand and deliver! Christian runs in from round the wicket and bowls it full at a gentle pace. Lewis just smashes it through the gap between mid off and covers for a boundary. That is a throwdown, says Nasser Hussain on air.
16.23 IST: FOUR! Six to start the over, four to end it. 14 runs have come off this one. This is a low full toss on middle and leg. Yadav whips it away through mid-wicket for another boundary. Mumbai are on a roll here.
16.16 IST: SIX! Lewis drives it across the boundary rope for a huge six! Tripe! This is Mumbai's fastest fifty in the Indian T20 League and what a gift this delivery was. Nadeem darts it on a shorter length seeing Lewis' front foot come forward. But the southpaw goes back in a trice and pulls it over the square leg fence for another biggie. Such deliveries are all he requires to get back among the runs. MI 51/0 in 3.4 overs
16.14 IST: FOUR! Just short, maybe! Fired on a shorter length around off, Yadav goes back and punches it uppishly back towards the bowler. Nadeem is a bit late in getting down to his left and the ball passes from below his hand. Such was the power in that shot that the ball sped away to the fence.
16.13 IST: SIX! Effortless, brilliant and maximum! Full-length ball around off and middle, Lewis clears his front leg and mows it over long on for half a dozen, the first of this game.
16.11 IST: FOUR! Cheeky and clever! Yadav arches back to this short delivery and ramps it over the keeper. The third man fielder got to his left but couldn't get to the ball before it crossed the fence.
16.09 IST: FOUR! Terrific straight drive! Full on the stumps, Yadav just times his push down the ground. The timing and the contact is such that the mid on and mid off fielders had no chance. Not your day Trent, says Pietersen on air.
16.07 IST: FOUR! Oh dear, the wheels coming off early for Delhi. Flatter on the stumps, Yadav goes back and works it away towards mid on. Maxwell moves to his right but dives over the ball and lets it go to the boundary.
16.05 IST: Four Leg Byes! This is getting from bad to worse for Delhi in the first over. This is on a length on the pads, Lewis fails to tuck it away. But the ball goes off his thigh pads to the fine leg fence. 15 off the opening over, good one for Mumbai. MI 15/0 in 1 over.
16.03 IST: FOUR! Intentions crystal clear! Boult lands this one on a length, Lewis hangs on the back foot and plays the pick up shot over square leg for a boundary. What a way to get going. Lewis strikes it perfectly.
16.02 IST: FOUR! Yadav is in a pretty good run of form with the bat and that shows. Boult is in search of some swing and hence is pitching it up. There is minimal movement inwards. Suryakumar covers it well and drives it down the ground. Beats a diving Gambhir at mid off to his right this time and collects a boundary. MI 6/0 in 0.3 overs.
16.00 IST: The game is set to begin. Mumbai's openers haven't really set the stage alight so far. Will home conditions spur them to change the narrative? We'll know in a while as here's a first surprise! Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis stride out with the bat. It's a new opening combination for the home team. Delhi would love to prolong their opposition's poor run for the opening pair. Trent Boult will steam in with a dismantling-the-opposition mindset.
15.50 IST:
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah, Mustafizur Rahman, Akila Dananjaya
15.45 IST:
Delhi Daredevils Playing XI: Jason Roy, Gautam Gambhir (C), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Vijay Shankar, Daniel Christian, Rahul Tewatia, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohammed Shami, Trent Boult
15.40 IST: Rohit Sharma, captain of Mumbai, wants to post a challenging score, now that they are batting first and then defend it later. Talks about doing the basics right. States that the small moments need to be won in order to turn the game in their favor. Ends saying that there are a couple of changes in their playing eleven. Akila Dananjaya comes in place of Ben Cutting and Hardik Pandya is fit and claims his place in the side instead of Pradeep Sangwan.
15.35 IST: Gautam Gambir, the Delhi captain, reckons that it is a good wicket and is not going to change much. Says that they will look to restrict the opposition to as less as they can. Iterates that the talks didn't revolve around their loss in the previous games. Adds about wanting to look forward rather than pondering over the past. Ends confirming Jason Roy coming in for Colin Munro, before adding that Dan Christian also is in the side in place of Chris Morris.
15.30 IST: Toss! Delhi Daredevils win toss, opt to bowl vs Mumbai Indians at Wankhede.
15.25 IST: Here is the weather forecast ahead of the IPL match at Wankhede.
15.20 IST: Delhi Daredevils are all geared up for the game ahead.
15.15 IST: Here are the IPL teams for the Match 9 between Mumbai and Delhi.
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma(c), Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Pradeep Sangwan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah, Mustafizur Rahman, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Saurabh Tiwary, Jean-Paul Duminy, Mitchell McClenaghan, Tajinder Singh, Sharad Lumba, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Akila Dananjaya, Anukul Roy, Mohsin Khan, MD Nidheesh
Delhi Daredevils: Glenn Maxwell, Colin Munro, Gautam Gambhir(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Chris Morris, Vijay Shankar, Shreyas Iyer, Rahul Tewatia, Shahbaz Nadeem, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami, Jason Roy, Amit Mishra, Prithvi Shaw, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Daniel Christian, Jayant Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Manjot Kalra, Abhishek Sharma, Sandeep Lamichhane, Naman Ojha, Sayan Ghosh, Liam Plunkett
Brief Preview:
Winless title-holders Mumbai Indians and an equally sluggish Delhi Daredevils will be eager to notch up their first points when they clash in the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium.
While Mumbai went down to Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad by identical one-wicket margins in edge-of-the-seat thrillers, Gautam Gambhir-led Delhi succumbed to Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in their first two games.
Mumbai's batting line-up which boasts of attacking players like skipper Rohit Sharma, West Indians Elvin Lewis, Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav has failed to fire in unison in the first two games.
The hosts would especially hope for an end to the dismal run of skipper Rohit, who fell cheaply in both the games after a largely forgettable tour of South Africa and some modest run in the tri-series in Sri Lanka prior to the commencement of the T20 League.
Rohit's form is crucial for Mumbai and with Lewis too not coming good, the opening partnership has been struggling to get going.
Mumbai could look at promoting Krunal Pandya up the order if his injured brother Hardik, who did not play in the game against Sunrisers last night, again misses todays's match. (READ FULL MATCH PREVIEW)