How Did Santner, Bumrah, and Surya Lead MI to Playoffs?

Mumbai, May 21 (NationPress) The Mumbai Indians clinched a spot in the Playoffs as Mitchell Santner and Jasprit Bumrah each captured three wickets, following an impressive unbeaten 73 by Suryakumar Yadav. This exceptional performance propelled the team to a convincing 59-run victory over the Delhi Capitals in Match 63 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

In a tense moment during the 18th over, the Mumbai Indians found themselves in a precarious position. The Delhi Capitals had restricted them effectively, leaving Mumbai struggling at 132/5, with only two overs remaining. However, Suryakumar Yadav delivered a stellar performance, scoring a remarkable 73 runs off 43 balls, while Naman Dhir contributed a quickfire 24 not out off just 8 balls, allowing Mumbai to finish with a total of 180/5 after 20 overs.

This late surge proved crucial, providing the five-time champions with a significant advantage. The Mumbai Indians excelled with the ball, leveraging the conditions skillfully. Santner recorded figures of 3-11, and Bumrah took 3-12, leading to the Delhi Capitals being bowled out for just 121 runs in 18.2 overs, resulting in a decisive 59-run victory amidst light rain.

After a disappointing campaign in 2024, where they only managed one win in their initial five matches this season, the Mumbai Indians made an impressive comeback, achieving a six-match unbeaten streak and securing a well-deserved playoff berth.

The absence of Axar Patel, the captain of Delhi Capitals, was keenly felt, as his bowling could have been pivotal in controlling Mumbai's total. Despite a promising start, Delhi lost momentum, which has been a recurring theme throughout their IPL 2025 journey.

While the expected dew was anticipated to aid the chase, the overcast skies negated any effect as the Mumbai Indians delivered an outstanding bowling performance to secure a memorable win.

Delhi Capitals struggled from the outset, ending the Power-play at 49/3. Deepak Chahar struck early, dismissing stand-in captain Faf du Plessis with a catch to Mitchell Santner.

K.L. Rahul, Delhi's top performer this season, surprisingly came on as an Impact Substitute but only managed 11 runs before falling to Boult. Following a shaky start at 20/2, Delhi continued to falter, with Will Jacks claiming the wicket of Abhishek Porel through a neat stumping.

Santner and Bumrah were exceptional, applying consistent pressure on the Delhi lineup. Although Vipraj Nigam made a brief contribution, and Sameer Rizvi scored 39 runs, their efforts weren't enough to avert defeat.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma, playing at the venue named after him, managed only five runs before falling to Mustafizur Rahman. Will Jacks also departed cheaply, edging a delivery from Mukesh Kumar.

Rickelton showed promise with two sixes but ultimately fell to Kuldeep Yadav. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma formed a crucial partnership, pushing Mumbai past the 100-run mark despite a slow middle phase.

As Suryakumar Yadav reached his half-century, he and Naman Dhir accelerated the scoring, allowing Mumbai to set a competitive total.

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians: 180/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 73*, Tilak Varma 27, Naman Dhir 24*; Mukesh Kumar 2-48, Kuldeep Yadav 1-22) beat Delhi Capitals: 121 all out in 18.2 overs (Sameer Rizvi 39; Mitchell Santner 3-11, Jasprit Bumrah 3-12) by 59 runs.