22 April,2021 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Mumbai Indians’ players after their six-wicket loss to Delhi Captitals at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Tuesday. Pic/BCCI; IPL
Despite Mumbai Indians (MI) posting a meagre total of 137-9 against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday, MI off-spinner Jayant Yadav (1-25) insisted that the defending champions were confident of defending it. MI eventually lost by six wickets with DC getting to the target in the final over of the match and Yadav blamed it on the wet ball [given the dew factor].
"It was a tough wicket [to bat on]. We were 10-15 runs short of the par score but at half-time, we were very confident that we could pull it off. It was just about taking wickets in the powerplay and trying to restrict them. Then, in the middle, the game slipped away a bit because of the wet ball. There was a lot of dew but full credit to our bowling unit and fielding as well that we managed to drag the match to the last over despite the wet ball. We showed a lot of character. It was a commendable effort from everyone," Yadav, 31, said at the post-match virtual press conference on Tuesday night.
After DC leg-spinner Amit Mishra's four-wicket (4-24) haul restricted MI to a low total, the Delhi side began their chase well, scoring 39 runs off the first six overs. They lost opener Prithvi Shaw (7) early - he offered a return catch to Yadav - after which Shikhar Dhawan (45 in 42 balls, 5x4, 1x6) and Steven Smith (29-ball 33, 4x4) batted confidently. But after their departure, DC struggled a bit before achieving their target with just five balls to spare.
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Jayant, who scored 23 off 22 balls while batting at No. 8, last played in the IPL in the 2020 final, where MI beat DC by five wickets in Dubai. When asked how difficult it was to prepare for a game after six months, he said: "IPL is a tournament where you need to be on your toes. There is a squad of 25 players but at the end of the day, only 11 can come on to the field. You have to buy into what the captain and management require from you. There is clear-cut communication of the roles that everyone has in the team. It's a long tournament, so you have to be professional and prepare accordingly."
