NEW DELHI, Apr 27:
Jake Fraser-McGurk produced a power-hitting master class as Delhi Capitals kept themselves in the race for IPL play-offs with a 10-run win over Mumbai Indians here on Saturday.
Bringing his big-hitting prowess to the fore, young McGurk gave the scorching Delhi heat competition with a sizzling 27-ball 84, powering DC to a massive 257 for four after being asked to bat.
Tilak Varma (63) and Hardik Pandya (46) played some lofty shots to give MI a glimmer of hope but Delhi bowlers, led by Rasikh Salam (3/34), kept striking at regular intervals to stop MI at 247 for 9.
The win elevated DC to the fifth spot while MI continued to occupy the penultimate place.
While McGurk sparkled upfront, Tristan Stubbs dazzled with an unbeaten 48 off 25 balls at the death overs as DC put up a superlative batting effort to register their highest-ever score in IPL.
In reply, MI’s script didn’t go as per plan as Khaleel Ahmed drew first blood in the form of Rohit Sharma (8).
With more than 250 runs to score, MI batters had to go from the word go and that led to Ishan Kishan (20) and Suryakumar Yadav’s (26) wickets.
Three wickets down and the required run rate increasing, Pandya took things in his own hands, plundering 19 runs of the ninth over by DC’s star spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
He punched three fours before launching the ball for a towering six over long on. Tilak Varma joined in with a boundary and a six off Axar Patel as the duo stitched a 71-run stand.
But ‘Impact Player’ Salam not only broke the partnership, claiming Pandya’s wicket but also got rid of Nehal Wadhera in the same over.
Varma then found an ally in Tim David but he was run out in the final over.
Earlier, opening for DC for the second time this season, the 22-year-old Fraser-McGurk equalled his own record for the fastest fifty this season, getting the milestone off just 15 balls after the hosts were put in to bat by MI.
With McGurk in the middle, it was raining boundaries and sixes at the rather small Arun Jaitley Stadium. He hit 11 fours and six maximums. He got 19 runs off the first over bowled by Luke Wood, setting the tone as he skilfully exploited the field restrictions in the powerplay to nab 92 runs.(PTI)
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals: 257/4 in 20 overs (Jake Fraser-McGurk 84, Shai Hope 41, Tristan Stubbs 48 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 247/9 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 46, Tilak Varma 63, Tim David 37; Rasikh Dar Salam 3/34, Mukesh Kumar 3/59).
Follow our WhatsApp channel
