Delhi Capitals' hopes of securing their maiden Indian Premier League title came crashing down on Wednesday night as they suffered a crushing 59-run defeat against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Match 63. In a must-win game, Delhi faltered when it mattered most -- especially during the death overs -- allowing Mumbai to post an above-par total. (Highlights)
It all started well for DC, who had MI reeling at 58/3 in the seventh over. Kuldeep Yadav provided the first breakthrough, picking up his 100th IPL wicket by dismissing Ryan Rickelton for 24. Mustafizur Rahman soon sent Rohit Sharma back for just 5, while Mukesh Kumar removed Will Jacks keeping the momentum alive.
But everything changed once Suryakumar Yadav walked in. MI’s Mr. Reliable flipped the script with a dazzling counterattack, punishing anything even slightly off-target. His innings of 73 off 43 balls -- studded with 7 fours and 4 sixes -- was a masterclass in aggression. And just when DC hoped to limit the damage, Naman Dhir joined the party, smashing 24 runs off just 8 balls to lift Mumbai to 180/5 in their 20 overs.
However, it wasn’t just brilliance with the bat -- DC’s bowling choices at the death raised eyebrows. Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera, instead of sticking with the variations that had worked earlier, opted for pace-heavy strategies.
Former India selector and cricketer Saba Karim didn’t mince words in his post-match analysis on JioHotstar.
“I'm still trying to wrap my head around this -- why would Mukesh Kumar bowl four express deliveries in the 19th over, when throughout the match it was the slower ones, the knuckleballs, the change of pace that had worked so well for DC? They completely lost the plot, and that’s why they leaked so many runs at the end,” Karim said.
“The same happened in the 20th over -- Dushmantha Chameera tried to bowl yorkers when there was no real need. Sticking to slower deliveries and variations would’ve likely produced a much better result.”
Only two wickets -- Hardik Pandya (3) and Tilak Varma (27) -- were taken during the final phase.
Karim also praised Suryakumar Yadav for thriving on a tricky surface while others faltered.
“On a track that looked difficult for most batters, it just shows the gulf in quality between Suryakumar Yadav and everyone else — not just from his team but also from DC’s lineup,” he said.
“He was way ahead in terms of thought process — methodical, calculative. He’s said it often — he waits for the big over, and that came in the 19th, which he carried into the 20th. Naman Dhir gave good support, but SKY’s patience is what sets him apart. This was a special knock.”
Chasing 181, Delhi’s top and middle order crumbled under pressure, and they were bowled out for 121 in 18.2 overs. The result sealed their elimination from the playoff race and ended a campaign that promised much but fizzled out at the death -- quite literally.
IPL 2025 Playoffs:
With MI's victory over DC, that meant Hardik Pandya-led side joined the likes of Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the playoffs stage.
Today, Gujarat Titans go up against Lucknow Super Giants with GT already through but Rishabh Pant-led LSG out of the Playoffs race.
