IPL 2018: Deliver or depart for MI

Delhi Daredevils, which prevented CSK from leapfrogging into top position the other night, would be hoping to do a lot more damage when it takes on Mumbai Indians in its last game of the season.

MI, still in contention for a playoff spot, would not just be looking to win but also get a grip on its net run rate that could come into play.

It has remained in the race after an upset win against Kings XI Punjab in its previous outing, thanks largely due to Jasprit Bumrah’s heroics towards the end, but the team’s inconsistency has been a concern. Captain Rohit Sharma hasn’t fired as expected and the rest have faltered even worse. Suryakumar Yadav is the only one to have fared well with the bat.

The bowling, led by Bumrah, has been better with the Pandya brothers — Hardik and Krunal — sharing the spoils and youngster Mayank Markande impressing with his leg-spin. Rohit would be hoping for a better show against Delhi, which, knowing well it can play spoilsport, would be hoping to go out on a high.

Renewed confidence

The win against CSK would have given the host renewed confidence. “We try to play one match at a time. It was a challenge against CSK and it would be another challenge against MI and to finish on a high. But we are not thinking of it being the last game of the season for us. We are thinking of focussing on our plans for the game, what to when we walk out to the middle and play fearless cricket,” all-rounder Harshal Patel said after Friday’s win.

The team’s bowling came good as a unit for the first time through the competition and Harshal and Vijay Shankar got the runs after the top-order faltered. The only sore point for the team would be the continued failure of Glenn Maxwell with both bat and ball and coach Ricky Ponting’s persistence with him remains a mystery.

A win would give Mumbai a fighting chance to go through.