Surya, Santner and Bumrah guide MI into playoffs; DC out

Mumbai: T20 is the most merciless of formats in cricket. Up until the 19th over, Mumbai Indians batters had managed only three overs with double digit returns, the highest being a 15-run over. In the final two overs, Naman Dhir and Suryakumar Yadav combined for an almighty onslaught, with five fours and five sixes. All of Delhi Capitals' hard work over 90% of their bowling was undone in two expensive overs by Mukesh Kumar (27 runs) and Dushmantha Chameera (21 runs).
From 132/5 in 18 overs and aiming to post a fighting 160, MI soared to 180 on a Mumbai pitch offering grip and turn on Wednesday. DC batters were no match, dismissed for 121. MI's 59-run win saw them book the fourth playoff berth. DC became the sixth team to be left stranded before IPL 2025's final week.
In the final over, as Chameera leaked boundaries, DC captain Faf du Plessis kept coming to his bowler to discuss the field for the next ball. Despite du Plessis's calmness, the Sri Lankan pacer never recovered his composure or control.
Dhir, MI's designated finisher, played the most crucial hand (24 - 8b, 2x4,2x6). That and Surya's 73 not out (43b, 7x4,4x6), marked by late acceleration, meant 48 runs came in the final two overs. It swung the equation in the home side's favour. At the innings break, smiles were back in the MI dugout, the Wankhede crowd had found their voice.
Earlier, another packed house wearing newly minted Rohit Sharma jerseys, didn't get a reason to cheer for their hero. Rohit, playing at the Wankhede since a stand was named after him, perished on five to another left-arm seamer's dismissal – caught behind off Mustafizur Rahman in the third over.
Most of the remaining Powerplay was cat-and-mouse play. Will Jacks came to the crease to hit out against pace but was soon greeted by Vipraj Nigam's leg-spin. Jacks got away, only to fall to Mukesh Kumar's slower ball. Jacks (21) and Ryan Rickelton (25) batted with freedom in the Powerplay – 54/2- before batting got tough.
DC would have loved Axar Patel's overs in the middle as the ball began to grip, but the skipper did not play due to illness. Watching Axar and Kuldeep Yadav challenge Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma would have been a box office middle overs contest.
Enter Nigam, DC's 20-year-old leg-spinner from UP. He applied the squeeze on Surya, who had until then swept spinners at will for most of the tournament. Nigam's miserly spell (4-0-25-0) complemented Kuldeep's guile; the India spinner, with figures of 4-0-22-1, came into his own with the pitch taking significant turn.
The Surya-Varma fourth wicket stand was only a little over run-a-ball (55 off 49b), giving a measure of how difficult batting had become as DC's pacers also began to bowl off-pace.
KL Rahul had not played a shot in anger during his century in the previous match on being promoted as opener. In an uncharacteristic hurry during DC's chase, he swiped outside off-stump in an early exchange against Trent Boult's angle. His top hand came off the bat as Rickelton behind the stumps completed the catch.
As Rahul (11) returned to the change room, and with captain du Plessis already dismissed, DC's tournament hopes lay in tatters.
From 20/2, DC could never mount a fight after losing their two big batting names. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (4-0-11-3) ran riot in the middle overs, extracting prodigious turn. How different T20 cricket can look with the cushion of runs. MI's late batting blitz and their sharp bowling made the difference.

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