Virat Kohli flags concerns on life in 'repetitive' bio-secure bubbles

MI vs DC: Hits & Flops as Bumrah-Surya shine in thumping victory over Capitals

As Mumbai fielded their full strength team after the loss against the Sunrisers in their last league game, it was a surety that they would be more than just a challenge for the Capitals; well they turned out to be more than that. With the help of the destructive batting from Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan along with the semblance provided by Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai posted 200 on the board. Delhi with their strong batting was supposed to present some challenge in the chase, but unfortunately, it turned out to be yet another dead game as the Capitals never recovered from their early shock when they lost three of their top batters at the score of zero. In the end, they could manage to score only 143 in their 20 overs losing the match by a mammoth 57 runs in Dubai. For Mumbai, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult were the chief architects of Delhi’s destruction. On this note, let us look at the Hits and Flops from the game. Hits #1 Jasprit Bumrah Bumrah was phenomenal today, as he has been in the entire tournament, barring few initial games. Taking the ball, he dismissed the most in-form Delhi batter in Shikhar Dhawan with the very first delivery, a perfect Yorker to which Dhawan had no answer. But he didn’t stop there as he got the all-important wicket of skipper Shreyas Iyer against the run of play as Iyer had hit a beautiful cover drive on the previous delivery. A partnership had developed between Axar Patel and Marcus Stoinis for the Capitals. They had started to look confident and his biggest asset, the Trump card was called in by Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma. Just the way he did in the previous spell, Bumrah picked another wicket with the first ball of his spell, this time Stoinis was at the receiving end. In his four overs, Bumrah finished with the best figures of his career giving away just 14 runs and taking four wickets. Bumrah was also adjudged Man of the match for this effort of his. He also took over as the purple cap owner from Kagiso Rabada for the time being. #2 Hardik Pandya When he came at the crease, Mumbai was 140-5 with 23 balls remaining in the innings and Kieron Pollard already in the dressing room. To get to 200 from there was something that only Pandya could have done. The man hit every bowler possible. Right from Daniel Sams to Rabada and to Andre Nortje, nobody was spared by the Baroda born. Pandya scored 37 of just 14 balls with the help of five colossal sixes in the death overs. He also built a 60 run partnership with Ishan Kishan for the 6th wicket. # Suryakumar Yadav After the fall of skipper Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar joined Quinton de Kock in the middle. Instead of taking the pressure, Suyrya counter-attacked and de Kock was also going the dame, it was these two that got Mumbai out from the hole it might have forced itself in because it happens in the knockout games that an early blow brings the morale of the entire team down. Surya scored 51 of 38 balls and his innings included six fours and two sixes. Flops #1 Shikhar Dhawan In a pressure match, in a knockout game, a team expects that its best people in form should and would perform. However, Dhawan, the man in form for Delhi, was bowled on the very first ball he faced. Frankly speaking, it was a brilliant Yorker to be the fi8rst ball for a batter, but to play the shot that he did was also not the right approach to the Yorker. The golden duck was not something that the fans or the team management would be expected of him. Even Prithvi Shaw and Ajinkya Rahane got out for and probably of easier deliveries. But they are not on the list because not much was expected of them. #2 Kagiso Rabada The same is the case with Rabada. The man who has been picking up wickets throughout the tournament for his team has suddenly gone silent at the moment that matters the most. In this game too, he went for 42 runs but wasn’t able to pick even a single wicket. He didn’t even look threatening and that is a worrying sign. In fact, in the last five games, he has only been able to pick four wickets with an average of more than 46. Special Mention: Trent Boult and Ishan Kishan Both Trent Boult and Ishan Kishan played major roles in making sure that their team gets over the line. While Kishan has been phenomenal in the entire tournament, he showed his vigor in this game as well making 50 off just 30 balls with four fours and three sixes. The fact that he batted throughout the inning sfro0m the time he joined Surya in the middle and played the anchor’s role was even more pleasing for the Mumbai fans and the team management. Boult on the other hand gave Mumbai the impetus that it required by picking two early wickets, in fact, two very important wickets in the first over itself. He was outstanding with the new ball as hardly any of the batsmen were able to pick him. The Kiwi got injured and wasn’t able to bowl after the first two overs which was unfortunate. With this win, Mumbai has now moved to the finals while Delhi would have to win their next game against the winner of the eliminator to meet Mumbai again in the finals.

MI vs DC: What Experts said as Mumbai romps past Delhi to reach finals

Delhi Capitals were no match to the class of Mumbai Indians and certainly not to the crazy yorkers of Jasprit Bumrah and deadly swing of Trent Boult as they lost the first Qualifier of the Indian Premier League 2020 by 57 runs. What was supposed to be an intense Qualifier, ended up being just another one-sided affair. The Capitals were basically humiliated as they could make only 143 chasing 201 in Dubai. They never looked in the game right from the beginning when they lost three wickets for no runs. From there onwards it was all about shaping up the chase. Marcus Stoinis and to a certain extent Axar Patel tried doing that, but it never looked like happening. Captains’ Viewpoints Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians captains was polar opposite from the last match’s post-match presentation ceremony. From playing the worst match of the tournament to the best match, he called it quite an incredible two-match journey. “I guess this is the best performance. The way de Kock and SKY (Suryakumar Yadav) took the momentum after I got out early was good to see,” Rohit said. Revealing that Mumbai Indians never have a predefined target and they change it according to the situation, Rohit said, “We never had a target in mind. We are a different team and we play differently. We just wanted to have a good powerplay and then take it from there. We knew we have the power to accelerate at the end.” Rohit further said that the versatility of the team helps him close in on matches, where they're not even chances of getting close. He also went on to praise Jharkhand born Ishan Kishan for the kind of form he has been in. “Ishan has been in great form, so we just wanted him to be really positive after the second time-out. We told that to Krunal as well, just bat positively and put the bowlers under pressure. With such a versatile squad, we can change the batting and bowling order,” said the 33-year-old. Boult has got injured mid-game and updating on him, Rohit said, “I’ve not seen him (Boult). But he seems okay. I don't think it's a big problem. Three-day rest and he should be back on the park.” The Mumbai-born lavished praises on his fast bowlers saying, “Bumrah and Boult have been in solid form. They play for different teams so they have different plans. We as a team have different plans and it's great to see them execute those.” Shreyas Iyer, the Delhi Capitals captain, standing on the losing side once again, for the fifth time in the last six matches said that he doesn’t want to talk negatively about the team as they have another chance of making it to the finals. “I don't want to speak negatively about the team, but going forward it's important to come with a strong mindset. It's never too late, and we'll see to it that we come back strongly,” Iyer said. Repenting on the fact that they did not capitalise when they had Mumbai down to four wickets at just 102, Iyer said, “I think we were on top when we got two quick wickets, and they were 102-4. We could have capitalized more at that time, and gotten two more wickets - maybe we could've chased around 170, but its part and parcel of the game. Every night can't be yours.” Talking about the team spirit shown by the Capitals throughout the tournament especially after living in the bubble for so long, the 25-year-old said that it was not easy to be in the bubble and follow the same routine every day. “We keep talking about the opportunities that we get and it's important to have a good mindset, but the practice we have done over the last few days, I'm really happy with the boys and their preparations.” Lauding Ravichandran Ashwin for his amazing performance in which he picked up three wickets for just 29 runs in his four overs, the Mumbai born said, “Ravi Ashwin was a positive for us tonight - he plays around with the batsmen's head a lot, really good to have him in the team, and he's quite an asset for us, especially me as a captain.” “All their batsmen are in great touch and Hardik/Pollard down the order are incredible. You can't control the situation when all the batsmen are in good touch, but we'll look to do better in the next game,” Iyer concluded. Expert Opinion Experts were impressed by the clinical showing of the Mumbai team to reach the finals and lavished praises on Bumrah, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav. Veteran cricket Analyst Ayaz Memon was super impressed by Jasprit Bumarah as he called him the Incredible Jas or 'Jassi Jaisa Koi nhi' in Hindi. Senior cricket analyst Boria Majumdar came up with a totally different analogy to the game saying that he expected the game to be as intense as the US elections right now, but it ended up being a local municipality one. Broadcast Journalist Vimal Kumar talked about how in this year’s IPL, Mumbai wouldn’t be facing Chennai for the first time in six years. Sports journalist Gaurav Kalra lauded Jasprit Bumrah, saying that he was not only a great bowler but a great human being too, after the way he spoke in the post-match presentation. Cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra talked about how Delhi Capitals have not been able to compete against Mumbai Indians in the three matches that they have played this season. Mumbai look like the team to beat in this year's IPL, who will be able to do it is guess that might just end up with the answer 'Nobody'. For the time being, the Capitals would like to regroup before facing the winner between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier on 8th November.

IPL 2020: MI vs DC: Hardik, Bumrah dazzle in Mumbai's joyride to the finals

Mumbai Indians flogged Delhi Capitals with an iron rod to seal a berth in the battle royale for the sixth time in the Indian Premier League. Blistering fifties from Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya's six-studded 37 pomped MI to a whooping 200/5 before Jasprit Bumrah's fabulous 4-wicket haul left DC's riposte in tatters.

IPL 2020 | Eliminator: RCB vs SRH - Match Preview, Predicted XI & Dream11 Fantasy Picks

Virat Kohli and his Royal Challengers Bangalore are IPL mavericks who leave all their fans and cricket experts bewildered with their awful performances every year when Indian Premier League begins. But, that part of the job has been done by Kohli’s men this time, as they have crossed the first hurdle of getting into the finals of the tournament. Yes, the team has gone out of shape in the last three games but the fact that they have made it into the knockout phase is an evidence of the RCB players and team management coming of age and make the right calls when it was required. Virat Kohli could not have expected a tougher opponent than the Sunrisers Hyderabad who under the leadership of David Warner have shown remarkable skills of turning their games into splendid performances when it matters. David Warner’s legacy with the team has been that they punch above their weight and although they do not possess traditional world-beaters like RCB do, they make sure that they turn up as a team in the crucial games when all of their pride and big prizes are on stake. The T20 format and especially the IPL is a game of momentum and teams have found it tough to break the chain of losses and hence the Sunrisers are walking into the game with their self-belief at an all-time high while the RCB will have to ponder over a lot of stuff getting into the eliminator. The RCB camp would be kicking themselves for squandering the early momentum and the chance to have a cushion of an extra day by finishing in the top two as they would remind themselves that one bad day will send them packing from the tournament. Virat Kohli vs David Warner Like the sharp contrast between the sides, the captains too, stand completely apart in terms of their mindset, tactics and outlook on the field. The David Warner of international cricket is completely different from the one who captains the Sunrisers while the Virat Kohli is ever so chaotic and animated. Virat likes to lead his side from the front and while fielding when he can’t lead his side with the bat, he tries to persuade his troops through his raw emotions and passion on the field. On the other hand, David Warner comes across as a cool, calm head who lets bowlers know their roles in the side and that he always takes a backseat while bowlers chart out tactics to better opposition batsmen. On the night of the eliminator, the qualities of these skippers and how they will marshal their troops will decide how far their sides go in the tournament from the brink of elimination. David Warner has an upper hand in history with the Virat Kohli’s side as they had defeated them in the finals of the 2016 edition to clinch the title and it looks like Warner has started the war even before a ball has been bowled by exulting confidence about their rich history against the RCB. RCB’s firepower vs SRH’s accuracy The presence of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the opposition batting line-up will come as a daunting task for any team and the SRH will have no different challenge than other teams and their focus will be on stopping these two belligerent duos before they hit their strides. The likes of Devdutt Padikkal at the top of the order has only strengthened the RCB batting line-up and with de Villiers now keeping gloves, the team looks really balanced. SRH does not lack much in the bowling department and probably the best spinner in the T20 format, Rashid Khan will take the onus of taking the team home against the best batsmen in the opposition line-up. Sandeep Sharma looks innocuous with the new ball but his record in the powerplay speaks for his credentials and he will test the skills and technique of the RCB top order. Addition of Jason Holder who has bowled immaculate lengths and line in the short time that he has played for the Sunrise has helped David Warner to attack more with Sandeep in the first six overs and Rashid Khan in the middle phase of the game. Eliminator- RCB vs SRH: Match details Date: 06 November 2020, at 7:30 PM IST, 06:00 PM Local, 2.00 PM GMT Venue: Abu Dhabi Broadcast: Star Sports and Hotstar Pitch and weather A new pitch will be used for the big game in the context of the tournament between the Sunrisers and the Royal Challengers. The SRH opening pair of David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha has been in a top-notch form in the last few games and they would love the prospect of balls coming on to the bat nicely. Captains will also have to factor in the onset of due and the impact it can leave on the side which will decide to bowl first. Due has been impacting the last few games and batting has become easier in the second inning, but it also brings in the factor of swing with the new ball in the second inning which can not be overlooked. Team News Royal Challengers Bangalore The RCB have no fitness concerns in the camp and Virat Kohli will breathe a sigh of relief with the likelihood of Navdeep Saini's return in the playing XI after missing out in the two of the last three games that the team has lost badly. The last game proved to be a damp squib for a team with so much batting might and Kohli will be hopeful that the batsmen will show some courage and not get bogged down under the pressure of a knockout game. Expected XI Devdutt Padikkal, Joshua Philippe, Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Isuru Udana, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal Sunrisers Hyderabad The SRH are already in the zone of playing knockout games given they had to win their last three games to get into the playoffs. David Warner has shown the maturity of a good leader along with the mind of an astute tactician by bringing in strategic changes in the playing XI, however big they looked at the time of being carried out. The SRH have the pedigree of playing in the knockout games as they have managed to reach the phase five times out of the last eight seasons they have been part of the tournament and it gives them an upper hand even before the start of the day. David Warner would be hopeful of a similar performance that the team has put on in the last few games although he would also love to see his side not treating this game as any different than what they faced in their last 2-3 games of this season. Expected XI David Warner (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan Eliminator- RCB vs SRH: Dream 11 team and suggestion AB de Villiers, Devdutt Padikkal, Priyam Garg, Manish Pandey, David Warner, Chris Morris, Jason Holder, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma Captain: David Warner Vice-captain: AB de Villiers Powered by Froala Editor