DC vs MI Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! THREE RUN OUTS IN A ROW! Would you believe it? Agony for the Delhi Capitals. Absolute ecstasy for the Mumbai Indians. Coming to the delivery, this is full and at the stumps, Mohit tucks it towards mid-wicket and the batters set off for the run. It is hit straight to Mitchell Santner there at mid-wicket. The Kiwi gathers it and knocks the stumps down at the bowling end with Mohit well short of his crease. MI clinch this thriller by 12 runs!

OUT! RUN OUT! Another run out! From around the wicket, on a length, on middle, Kuldeep flicks it to the left of long on and comes charging back for the second run. The substitute fielder, Raj Angad Bawa covers good ground in the deep and picks it up cleanly. Fires in a throw at the batting end and the keeper, Ryan Rickelton gets up to the stumps to collect the throw. Kuldeep is struggling to complete the second run and puts in a desperate dive to make his ground. Ryan whips the bails off and Kuldeep is found short of his crease. The third umpire gives the confirmation and DC are now 9 down.

OUT! RUN OUT! Ashutosh Sharma is gone and this is a body blow to the Capitals! Bowled from wide of the crease on the over-the-wicket angle and the yorker is executed to perfection from Bumrah, on off, Ashutosh squeezes it out to the left of deep point. Will Jacks gets to the ball quickly and is quick to release the throw on the bounce at the batting end. Sharma completes the first one and while returning for the second run, he has to run around Bumrah and that results in him having to cover more distance. Sharma puts the dive in and Ryan Rickelton whips the bails off. The third umpire checks and it is confirmed that Ashutosh is short despite the dive.

EDGED, FOUR MORE! Nearly a perfect yorker from Bumrah, around off, but somehow, Ashutosh Sharma manages to get his bat down in time. Goes hard at the ball, aiming the cover region but gets a thick outside edge which races to the left of short third!

FOUR! Brave shot! A full toss, around middle, Ashutosh brings out his reverse shot and ramps it over short third, for a boundary! 19 more needed from 10 balls.

Full, tailing down the leg side, Ashutosh Sharma is late to get his bat down and ekes out an inside edge between his legs towards Trent Boult at fine leg. Does not take the single.

Fuller and quicker, on off, Ashutosh Sharma thumps it on the bounce to long off for just a single. Good comeback by Santner after conceding 10 runs in the first 2 balls. The over ends up going for 15 and it resulted in the wicket of Nigam. The Capitals require 23 runs from 12 balls.

'Catch it' is the call, but the ball drops well short! With a flatter trajectory, on off, on a nagging length, Starc slaps it on the bounce to long on for a single.

Wide! Pushed beyond the wide tramline on off, Starc lets it be. Wide given.

OUT! STUMPED! Mitchell Santner gets his revenge! Or does he? Vipraj Nigam has been asked to wait as the third umpire is called into action to check whether Ryan Rickelton collected the ball in the line of the stumps. That is not the case and Nigam has been given the marching orders. Cleverly bowled by Santner, slows it down and drags the length back, expecting Vipraj to give him the charge. It is well wide on off too, Nigam is nowhere near the pitch of the ball and swings with a flat bat. The ball spins past him and Rickelton does the rest.

Spots Sharma backing away slightly but Santner holds his line. Spears in a low full toss, on middle, Sharma knocks it to long off for a single.

Full, pretty slow, down the leg side, Nigam goes for a mighty slog but misses the ball completely. Gets it off the pads towards short third. A leg bye taken.

FOUR! In the air, but in the gap! Full, wide outside off, Vipraj reaches out and carves it in the gap between backward point and cover-point! 29 more needed from 16 balls.

SIX! THUMP! Tossed up, on middle, Vipraj Nigam comes down the track and lofts this straight back down the ground for a biggie!

Yes, he can! Just 3 runs off the over. Excellent stuff from the Kiwi. Nails a full delivery, on middle, Vipraj cannot get under the ball and can only hit this one along the ground to mid off. Hardik Pandya has a shy at the bowling end but misses and Nigam was struggling. Delhi Capitals need 39 runs from 18 balls.

Oh, not that far away from the leg pole! Boult keeps it very full from over the wicket, Nigam walks across his stumps and attempts the scoop but misses. Vipraj feels that it should be a wide and he has taken the review. The replays show that had Nigam not made the shuffle across the stumps and had he been in his normal standing position, it would have hit him on the pad. The on-field decision is upheld. So far, so good from Boult. Just 2 runs off the over so far. Can Boult finish well?

Another well-executed yorker, at the toes, Sharma squeezes it out in front of mid off for a quick single.

Another one in the blockhole! Outside off, this time Ashutosh can only push it towards mid off!

Inswinging yorker, on middle, Ashutosh Sharma can only get a thick inside edge onto his pads as he looks to work it to the leg side.

Direct hit would have had Ashutosh! Fuller length, outside off, Vipraj Nigam pushed it towards cover and set off for a single. It was a risky call as the ball went straight to Naman Dhir. Naman charged onto the ball, took aim and fired a throw at the striker's end. Ashutosh had given up. Luckily for him, the throw missed the stumps.

Almost another wicket for MI! Slower through the air and it is on the shorter side, Vipraj presses on the back foot and tries to go back over the bowler's head. He is early into the shot and gets it off the toe end of the bat. It goes low down the deck where Karn dives to his right and the ball deflects off the hand towards the stumps at the bowling end. Ashutosh Sharma is backing up a bit too far at the bowling end and tries to plonk his right leg inside the crease. Luckily for him, the ball does not hit the stumps as he was struggling to make his ground.

Wide! Sprays it down leg, on a nagging length, Nigam swings to get this one away on the leg side but misses.

Drags the length back and gets a good amount of turn, on off, Sharma jabs it through square leg for a single.

Lands it very full, on off, Nigam carves it along the ground to deep point for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Is that the game for MI? Karn Sharma has probably got the biggest wicket of the night. Tossed up, around off, Rahul looks to go big with a slog sweep but is not to the pitch of the ball. Only manages a top edge which is accepted gleefully by the bowler. Rahul departs for 15 (13) and from 119/1, Delhi Capitals have slipped to 160/6! 46 more needed from 27 balls.

Full, on off, pushed towards cover for a single.

LEADING EDGE, SAFE! Floated, outside off, KL Rahul comes down the track and looks to play across the line but gets a leading edge which lands safely over cover. Single taken.

Outside off, eased through the covers for one more.

Oohhh... nearly! Full, outside off, Ashutosh looks to punch it through the off side but gets a thick inside edge which just goes past the leg stump! A single taken.

Punched down to long on for a run.

Excellent work by Will Jacks! Short, outside off, KL Rahul rocks back and punches it through the covers. Jacks races across to his right from sweeper and slides across to stop the ball. Two runs taken. Or saved. Whichever way you look at it.

Full, around off, driven through mid off for a run.

Outside off, pushed through point for a quick single.

Outside off, slogged towards long on for a single. 6 runs and a wicket from the over, 3-0-30-2 for Karn Sharma so far.

FOUR! Full, around middle, KL Rahul gets down and mows a sweep over square leg. 56 more needed from 37 balls.

A touch short, on middle, helped towards long leg for a single to get off the mark.

OUT! CAUGHT! DC slipping down a mire now! Well, as per the new IPL rules, the fielding side is allowed to change the ball after the 11th over in the second innings, if the ball has got very wet, subject to the discretion of the umpire. In this case, the umpire agreed to the change in ball and the dry ball has done its trick! Floated, around middle and off, Stubbs looks to go downtown but is beaten in flight. Miscues it towards long on where Naman Dhir makes no mistake. Stubbs departs for 1 (4) and from 119/1, Delhi Capitals have slipped down to 145/5! 61 still needed from 39 balls!

Outside off, pushed towards cover.

Ohhh.. things are happening now! Landed around middle, Tristan Stubbs chips this back to the bowler and luckily for him, it lands just short!

Outside off, pushed straight to cover. 5 runs and a wicket from the over, the last 3 overs have resulted in 3/32!

Bumrah is spitting venom now. On a length, outside off, Tristan Stubbs pushes at it but the ball snakes in, moves away, takes the outside edge and races down towards deep third. A single to get off the mark.

OUT! CAUGHT! The emperor strikes back and boy, is this game on now? From 119/1, Delhi Capitals are now 144/4! Not the best ball that Bumrah would have bowled in his entire career but he won't care. Full toss, down the leg side but excellent change of pace. Axar Patel is early into his flick and the shot is already through before the ball can even come. And when it does come, it takes the leading edge and lobs in the air, offering a dolly to Suryakumar Yadav at extra cover! 9 (6) from the DC skipper who just cannot believe that he has got out to a ball which should have been dispatched to the boundary.

Yorker, on leg stump, defended.

FOUR! Up and over! Karun Nair goes, Axar Patel comes. The ploy remains the same, which was set up by a certain Sam Konstas on 26th December, 2024. Attack Bumrah. A length ball, outside off, Axar skips down the track and hammers it over mid off, one bounce and into the ropes!

Jasprit Bumrah returns into the attack. Straightaway is on the mark, targetting the stumps and Axar defends.

Outside off, punched towards point for a single. 12 runs and a wicket from the over, Mitchell Santner's figures read 2-0-21-1.

FOUR! Fine way to get off the mark! Floated on middle and leg, Axar Patel comes forward and whips it over wide mid on. Long on tries to get across to his left to stop the ball but cannot get there!

OUT! BOWLED! It needed a jaffa to end a terrific innings and the reliable Santner delivers! Nair cannot believe his luck as he departs 11 short of his maiden IPL ton. Coming to the ball, this was excellently bowled by Santner. He came from around the wicket and imparted plenty of revolutions on the ball, bowling with a bit of a wider angle. Karun came forward to play the line, aiming to defend but while the ball did come in with the angle, it pitched and then spun like a snake to beat the outside edge and hit the off stump! What a ball to end a breathtaking knock. 89 (40) from Karun Nair but can Mumbai Indians see some light at the end of the tunnel? DC have lost 2/16 in the span of 9 balls and all of a sudden, two new batters are in the middle. 71 more needed from 50 balls.

FOUR! That's 4 boundaries on the trot for Karun Nair! In fact, he has scored 22 runs in the last 5 balls that he has faced! Landed outside off, Nair goes back and pulls it through mid-wicket. Long on races across to his right and dives but the ball beats him to the ropes.

Outside off, another slower ball, a touch fuller than the previous one, Rahul goes back and punches it through the covers for a single.

Short ball, around middle and leg, slower in pace, KL Rahul rocks back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a couple.

FOUR MORE! HIGHEST IPL SCORE FOR KARUN NAIR! Full, on middle, Nair gets down and sweeps this through square leg, getting consecutive boundaries! So Karn Sharma picks up a wicket alright, but also goes for 15 runs in the over! 78 more needed from 54 balls.

FOUR! Partnership broken? No problem. There won't be any letup. Short ball, around off, Karun Nair brings out his reverse shot and ramps it over short third! The only confusion in Nair's mind will be the area he needs to target.

Down the leg side, flicked away for a single to get off the mark.

Full and around off, watchfully defended.

OUT! CAUGHT! Stop the press. A catch is taken which means that there is relevance to fielders on this small ground. Looking at the way the boundaries were being targetted with ease, one felt that all the fielders had left the ground. Floated ball from Karn Sharma, around middle and off, Porel gets down and targets the slog sweep. Seems to have connected well but this time, there is less elevation. Two fielders go for the catch, deep mid-wicket to his left and deep square leg to his right. Eventually, Naman Dhir takes a good running catch from deep square leg, being careful not to touch the ropes and not collide with Will Jacks in front of him. The 119-run stand has been broken and Abishek Porel has to depart for 33 (25). DELHI CAPITALS ARE 119/2 and need another 87 from 58 balls.

SIX! THRASH! Abishek is coming to the party now! Has moved on 33 (24) with his first six. Fractionally short, on middle, Abishek Porel dances down the track and pulls it handsomely over deep square leg.

FOUR! NOW ON THE OTHER SIDE! Nair is putting on a show here. length ball, on off stump, Nair pulls this one behind square into the vacant backward square leg region for a four.

SIX Carved away! Pace off delivery, on a length, Nair clears his front leg and carves this one over the point region for six.

Full, wide outside off, Porel opens his bat face to guide this one between backward point and short third, but can't find the gap. Karun Nair at the non-striker's end calls for a quick single and makes it to the striker's end in time. Tilak Varma has a shy at the striker's end but misses. His reaction seems to suggest that had he hit, it would have been a close call.

Off-pace delivery, on a short of a good length, Nair swings for the pull but gets an inside edge that dribbles to the left of the keeper for one more.

On a back of a length, on off, Porel pats it wide of point for a single.

A slight mix-up but no harm done! This is very full, on off, Porel opens the face of the bat and steers it towards short third. Nair sets off for the run and is more than halfway through when Abishek sends him back. The throw from short third by Karn Sharma is a bit wayward at the bowling end. Karun is a bit lazy in sliding his bat in and had the throw hit, it could have been interesting.

Shorter in length, on off, Porel charges down and hits it along the ground towards long on for a single. 100 UP FOR DELHI CAPITALS. They need another 106 from 66 balls.

Tossed up, well outside off, Nair goes for the inside out lofted hit but gets deceived in the flight, as the ball falls just short of Will Jacks at deep extra cover. Single taken.

Fuller in length, turning away around off, Nair goes for the sweep and misses. The ball hits his back pad and runs away behind the wicket. Trent Boult from short third chases the ball and cuts it off as the batters run two leg byes.

A loud shout for LBW but turned down! The impact looked outside off in real time but MI have taken the review. Fired in, very full, on off, Nair switches his stance and goes for the reverse. Fails to lay any bat on it and the ball hits him on the right pad. There is no bat involved but the Ball Tracking is umpire's call on impact and the ball is spinning past the off stump. MI lose a review. The physio is out to check on Nair. Karun is sipping on some pickle juice. He is ready to resume.

SIX! Clean strike! On a nagging length, on middle, Karun Nair is quick to get down on a knee and nails the slog sweep over deep square leg for a six.

PUT DOWN! Will Jacks covers good ground but grasses it in the end! Floated up, on the pads, Porel whips it off the pads. Hits it flat and low towards deep mid-wicket. Jacks swoops in off the ropes and dives ahead. The ball grazes his fingertips and hits him on the thigh. A single taken.

Length ball, well outside off, Nair goes for the reverse scoop, but can't get any bat on it.

Full around off, Nair drives it straight to short cover. Dot ball.

SIX! Lovely innovation from Karun Nair! Full toss just outside off, Nair moves across and ramps this one over the fine leg region for six.

Hurls it outside off, on a good length, Nair walks across his stumps and tries to play the scoop but fails to connect and wears it on the pads.

At 124.3 kph, on a length, outside off, Porel reaches out and drives it to deep point for one.

Starts with a full ball does, Hardik, on off, Nair drives it with a straight bat to long off for a single.

Quicker and flatter, outside off, Porel rocks back and cuts it, but the ball goes straight  to point fielder. Dot to end the over.

Slower through the air, tossed up delivery, turning away from the right hander, Nair waits for it and punches it to deep extra cover for a single.

Full on middle-leg, Porel flicks this one along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Fuller, slower through the air, sliding down leg, Porel looks to flick it but can't connect. Wide given.

FOUR! Short and punished! Slower and shorter, on middle, Abishek Porel goes onto the back foot in a flash and pulls it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Darted in, short and on middle, Nair punches it off the back foot to long on for a single.

Short and flat, on off, Porel goes back and cuts it off the back foot towards backward point for a single.

THAT WILL BE FIFTY FOR KARUN NAIR! Full toss on middle, Nair looks to play the pickup and skies it towards deep mid-wicket. The fielder from square leg runs to his left and cuts it off. The batters complete two runs.

SIX! This is textbook stuff from Karun Nair. Pace off delivery, fuller in length, Nair waiting deep in his crease, picks the slower one and lofts this one over mid off for a six.

Slower yorker on off, Nair backs away and steers it to short third man. Dot ball.

FOUR! Gets it through! A yorker gone wrong from Bumrah. Low full toss, around off, Nair cleverly opens the face of the bat and glides it to the left of the diving backward point fielder for a boundary.

Right in the blockhole, on off, Nair can't do much about it and just digs it out.

SIX! Effortlessly done! Slanting into the pads from over the wicket, on a back of a length, Karun uses the angle and nonchalantly whips it over deep square leg for a six.

Nails the yorker from around the wicket, on middle, Abishek Porel gets his bat down quickly and keeps it out.

Full on middle, Nair flicks this along the ground to deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Up and over! Pace off delivery, back of a length just outside off, Nair backs away and carves this over short cover's head for another boundary. 50 UP FOR DELHI CAPITALS, 153 more needed from 92 balls.

Length ball angling into the left hander, Abishek Porel is early into the pull as the ball hits inner half off the bat. The ball goes into the leg side and batters take a single.

Goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on off, Porel steers it towards backward point.

FOUR! The boundaries continue to flow for DC! Deepak comes from around the wicket and bangs a slower ball into the deck, over middle, Porel picks it cleanly and pulls it with disdain to the right of deep square leg for a one-bounce boundary.

FOUR! Threads it through! Length delivery around off, Karun Nair moves away to make some room and cuts this between extra cover and point for a four.

Attempted yorker on middle gone wrong, ends up being a full toss. Nair though can't take much advantage of it as he pushes it to mid on. Dot ball.

FOUR! WOW! KARUN NAIR YOU BEAUTY! Full on middle, Karun Nair backs away a bit and lofts this over mid off for a boundary.

Hurls it full, on off, Porel drives it along the ground to the right of mid off where Hardik Pandya cuts it off with a slide and keeps the batters down to one.

Direct hit! At pace, on a length, Porel drives it firmly in front of extra cover and sets off for a quick run. Suryakumar Yadav hits the stumps at the bowling end but Abishek manages to slide his bat in. The throw deflects off the stumps and beats the diving Mitchell Santner to his left, who is backing up the throw. The batters run one more on the overthrow.

Bumrah comes into the attack and starts from around the wicket. Starts with an off-cutter, on a length, on off, Abishek Porel dabs it off the front foot towards cover-point.

Length ball that swings back into the left hander, Abishek goes for the flick and gets hit on the front pad. The ball lobs off his pads towards short third. The batters set off for a quick run and Jasprit Bumrah fires in a throw at the bowling end. Bumrah hits the stumps but Porel is well in with a dive.

Back of a length,outside off, Nair looks to play the pull but can't connect it well, as he toe ends it into the off side and sets off for a quick single.

FOUR! Too straight and Chahar pays the price! Back of a length sliding down the leg side, Nair swings at it and the ball goes off his gloves, along the ground, fine of the short fine leg fielder for a four.

On a back of a length, on middle and leg, nudged through square leg for a single by Porel.

Oh, that could have gone anywhere! Pace taken off by Chahar, on a short of a length, outside off. Nair is way too early into the shot as he tries to push it away on the off side. The ball holds in the surface and catches the outer half of the bat. It lobs and drops well in front of the man at deep cover. A single taken.

Delivers it on a back of a length, on off, Porel gets on top of it and punches it to deep cover for a single.

Length ball around off, Nair pushes it to the point fielder. Dot ball to end the over.

FOUR! EXQUISITE COVER DRIVE! Karun Nair is looking in good touch. Full on middle, Nair drives this one crisply through the extra cover region for another four.

FIVE WIDES! Full and swinging into the right hander, but the line is way too down leg. Nair looks to get some bat on it, but can't get any. The keeper dives to his left but can't get a hand to it.

Almost a run out! Length ball that swings back into the right hander. Karun Nair goes for the pull and gets hit on the top of his front pad. He doesn't know where the ball is and starts running for one. The non-striker sends him back. The fielder from point comes charging at the ball and has a shy at the stumps at the bowling end but misses. It would have been interesting had the throw hit.

FOUR! Two in two! This time to the other side of the deep point fielder. Short and wide on off, Karun pounces on it in a flash. Slaps it to the left of deep point for another boundary.

FOUR! Class written all over it! Going across the right-hander, on a back of a length. Nair waits on the back foot and plays it right under his eyes. Punches it to the right of deep point for a boundary.

Not much movement in the air first up for Boult. Slanting into the pads, on a back of a length, Abishek tucks it to deep backward square leg for a single.

A touch fuller again sliding on the pads, Nair again looks to flick it and gets hit on the pads. Dot ball to end the over.

Length ball on the leg stump, Nair looks to flick it and gets hit on the front pad. A big appeal from the bowler, but the umpire is unmoved. Perhaps sliding down leg. MI don't go for the review!

Length ball on off, Abishek Porel presents the full face off the bat, as he drives this one down the ground. The mid off fielder runs to his left and cuts it off near the 30-yard ring. Single taken.

FOUR! A fine way to get off the mark! Deepak lands it full, outside off, Porel just leans into the shot and creams the drive through covers for a boundary to get going.

An absolute beauty from Chahar to greet Karun! A yorker that tails back in late into the right-hander, on off, Nair is equal to the task as he gets his bat down and digs it out in front of backward point for a quick single.

OUT! TAKEN! Deepak Chahar strikes with his first ball! What a start for MI! Shaping away, on a good length, on off, Jake Fraser-McGurk is nowhere near the pitch of the ball and pushes at the delivery well in front of the body. Chips it tamely towards cover where Will Jacks takes a simple reverse-cup catch in front of his face. A golden duck for JFM.