Delhi Daredevils' muscle power can devastate any team.
Led by another blistering knock from its skipper Virender Sehwag, Daredevils on Friday outbatted Mumbai Indians by 37 runs in the return leg of their IPL contest to keep its record clean against the last year's runner-up. Daredevils' sixth win in eight matches strengthened its position at the peak with 12 points.
Sehwag (73) literally felt at home at the Ferozeshah Kotla as showed the way to the home batsmen, who pulverised Mumbai bowlers to post Daredevils' highest total of this season. Mumbai, which would regret its decision to put the host in, crumbled under the pressure of the mammoth task of chasing 208 for victory.
Clinical and graceful
Like an accomplished actor doing his fight scenes, Sehwag hammered the Mumbai bowling attack with authority. It was clinical, graceful and high on impact. After seeing off Lasith Malinga's early swing, the Daredevils captain butchered the Mumbai bowlers.
Jaywardene was also a class act. He gathered runs at a fast pace, which included three fours in a Malinga over. The Sri Lankan captain's classical display was marked by some efficient improvisations.
The two accomplished batsmen accumulated 135 runs, the highest opening stand of the current edition of the IPL, before Jayawardene's reverse sweep off Robin Peterson went to Rohit Sharma at point.
Sehwag, who predominantly scored his runs on the leg side, exposed the lack of discipline in the Mumbai bowling.
He punished R.P. Singh when the left-arm seamer bowled short and wide in his third over. A flat-batted six over long off was symbolic of his awesome form.
After hitting Peterson straight over the sightscreen, Sehwag, on 40, got a reprieve off the next ball when Dinesh Karthik failed to make the most of a fabulous stumping chance.
The dashing batsman utilised the opportunity to clobber an erring Keiron Pollard for two sixes and as many fours in the West Indian's only over. In the process, he reached his third consecutive half-century of IPL V.
Pietersen delights
Mumbai heaved a sigh of relief when Sehwag, playing inside out, was caught at deep-cover to become Peterson's second wicket. Kevin Pietersen filled the void as he smacked the ball on both sides of the wicket to make a quick-fire unbeaten 26-ball 50, 42 off which came through big hits.
Mumbai, despite losing three wickets for 19 runs, gave a strong reply. A power-packed fourth wicket partnership worth 96 runs between Ambati Rayudu (62) and Dinesh Karthik (40) provided an outside chance to the tourists.
However, Ajit Agarkar uprooted Karthik's off stump to eradicate the threat.
Pollard, who had injured his right shoulder while fielding, came on to play some huge shots. However, Shahbaz Nadeem removed him and Rayudu.
Scorecard: Delhi Daredevils: M. Jayawardene c Rohit b Peterson 55 (42b, 8x4), V. Sehwag c R.P. Singh b Peterson 73 (39b, 8x4, 4x6), K. Pietersen (not out) 50 (26b, 6x4, 3x6), Irfan c (sub) Perera b Peterson 0 (1b), R. Taylor lbw b Malinga 15 (7b, 2x6), Y. Nagar lbw b Malinga 0 (1b), N. Ojha (not out) 5 (4b); Extras (lb-2, wd-7) 9; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs) 207.
Fall of wickets: 1-135 (Jayawardene), 2-153 (Sehwag), 3-154 (Irfan), 4-195 (Taylor), 5-195 (Nagar).
Mumbai Indians bowling: Malinga 4-0-31-2, R.P. Singh 4-0-41-0, Shukla 3-0-31-0, Harbhajan 4-0-42-0, Peterson 4-0-37-3, Pollard 1-0-23-0.
Mumbai Indians: A. Blizzard c Jayawardene b Irfan 0 (3b), S. Tendulkar c Pietersen b Morkel 7 (7b), Rohit c Agarkar b Irfan 12 (6b, 1x4, 1x6), D. Karthik b Agarkar 40 (28b, 7x4), A. Rayudu c Jayawardene b Nadeem 62 (39b, 5x4, 3x6), K. Pollard b Nadeem 16 (9b, 1x4, 1x6), R. Peterson (run out) 2 (2b), Harbhajan c Irfan b Yadav 15 (12b, 2x4), L. Malinga b Yadav 11 (13b, 1x4), R.P. Singh (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (w-4): 4; Total (for 9 wickets; in 20 overs) 170.
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Blizzard), 2-19 (Tendulkar), 3-19 (Rohit), 4-115 (Karthik), 5-139 (Rayudu), 6-139 (Pollard), 7-144 (Peterson), 8-168 (Harbhajan), 9-170 (Malinga).
Delhi Daredevils bowling: Irfan 4-0-46-2, Nadeem 4-0-35-2, Morne 4-0-21-1, U. Yadav 4-0-36-2, Agarkar 4-0-32-1.
Man-of-the-match: Virender Sehwag.
