Dubai: Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer and the mercurial Rishabh Pant responded to the call of the team on the ‘D Day’ with contrasting-yet-stylish fifties but Mumbai Indians claimed the early edge by restricting them to 156 for 7 in the IPL final on Tuesday.
The two rising stars of Indian cricket came to the party on the big day, after Trent Boult pegged them back at 22 for 3 inside the Powerplay, adding 96 runs in 11.3 overs for the fourth wicket.
However, Mumbai Indians came back strongly during final five overs as Capitals managed only 45 runs, losing four wickets in the process.
While Iyer displayed more conservative shot selection in his 65 not out off 50 balls, the unconventional free-flowing Pant was back in his elements with 56 off 38 balls, his first half-century in 15 innings.
Discarded from India’s white-ball set-up, Pant let his bat do the talking on the final day, showing the world why he is considered to be special during which a knock in which he smashed four fours and two sixes.
The treatment meted out to Krunal Pandya was that of pure disdain.
A straight-six coming down the track, a slog sweep over cow corner for another maximum. Then there was an awkward but effective half sweep-half flick behind ’45’.
A customary fallen slog off Nathan Coulter-Nile behind square brought about his 50 but he tried one shot too many to perish.
Skipper Iyer, at the other end, was more classical with two cover driven boundaries off the ever-dangerous Trent Boult (3/30 in 4 overs). A flick off Coulter-Nile helped him settle down and allowed Pant to go on the offensive at the other end.
Iyer hit six fours and two sixes but the standout shot was the one in which he made room and hit Jasprit Bumrah (0/28 in 4 overs) over extra-cover for a boundary.
The evening, however, started well for MI with Boult taking charge at the onset just like he has been doing over the tournament.
Boult’s opening spell in the Powerplay was hardly indicative of any groin strain that he had sustained during the qualifier 1.
The first delivery of the final was a real beauty that kicked up from the length and also started growing bigger on Marcus Stoinis who was forced to edge it to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.
Ajinkya Rahane has dismissed off a lousy stroke to an inswinging delivery on the pads. The intended flick was taken behind by de Kock.
Dhawan (15) started with a flick and had two more boundaries before a needless slog-sweep against the turn off Jayant Yadav brought about his downfall.
At 22 for 3, it was Pant and Iyer joining hands just like the first game and the script was certainly very different with ingredients of a potboiler in it unlike the damp squib on three previous occasions.