The Albany Gazette - Suryakumar helps Mumbai crush Delhi to clinch playoff berth

In a two-way battle with Delhi for one play-off spot, Mumbai posted 180-5 and then bowled out the opposition for 121 in their home at the Wankhede Stadium.

Mumbai's New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner returned figures of 3-11 from his four overs. Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah also took three wickets.

Five-time champions Mumbai have joined Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings as the top four teams that will battle for the title in the playoffs starting May 29.

Delhi still have a match to go but can now only reach 15 points, while Mumbai have 16 points with one more game to play.

The final few matches in the group phase will decide the play-off standings as the top two teams will have the advantage of having two shots to reach the final on June 3.

Put into bat, Mumbai recovered from a top-order wobble, including home hero Rohit Sharma falling for five, to bounce back in the second half of the innings.

India's T20 skipper Suryakumar stood firm in his 43-ball knock laced with seven fours and four sixes, and Dhir boosted the total in his unbeaten eight-ball 24.

Dhir hammered Mukesh Kumar for two fours and two sixes in a 27-run 19th over and Suryakumar then took on Sri Lankan quick Dushmantha Chameera to finish off with 21 runs in the 20th.

Tilak Varma contributed with 27 in a 55-run partnership with Suryakumar to lift Mumbai after their top three departed early.

Rohit fell to Mustafizur Rahman in the third over, and was soon followed back into the clubhouse by Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton.

Rohit, who was recently honoured by having a stand in the stadium named after him, had some of his fans wearing whites in a tribute to the former captain's recent Test retirement.

Delhi were never in the chase after stand-in-skipper Faf du Plessis fell for six in the second over.

Former New Zealand international Trent Boult raised the noise of the home crowd when he got the in-form KL Rahul caught behind for 11 and soon Jacks sent back Abishek Porel for a single figures score.

Wickets kept tumbling and Santner took two in one over to flatten the opposition batting, which lasted just 18.2 overs.

The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans after the revised schedule of the tournament.

(K.Jones--TAG)