Mumbai Indians (MI) have become the second franchise in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to defend the title. In the IPL 2020 final, they registered a dominating win over the Delhi Capitals (DC) to lift the IPL trophy for the record fifth time. Their best players put their hand up yet again with Trent Boult and more importantly, the skipper Rohit Sharma coming out all guns blazing in their respective departments.
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bat first, but Boulthurt them with the new ball. He nipped out Marcus Stoinis on the first ball of the match. He continued to let the ball do teh talking as he dismissed Ajinkya Rahane as well and then Jayant Yadav castled Shikhar Dhawan to leave DC reeling at 22/3 in the 4th over. This is when Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant decided to counter-attack on the opposition bowlers. The latter found his groove at the crucial time for his team.
WATCH – Trent Boult Delivers A Peach On The first Ball Of The Final
Iyer and Pant added as many as 96 runs for the fourth wicket and laid the perfect foundation for the Capitals to go big in the last five overs. However, Nathan Coulter-Nile who broke the partnership, but Iyer slammed a half-century at the other end. However, MI’s exceptional death bowling came to the fore on the day. While Bumrah was once again unplayable at the death, Boult got teh prized wicket of Shimron Hetmyer. Eventually, DC only managed to reach a total of 156 runs in their 20 overs.
The 156-run chase could’ve been tricky for the defending champions. But their openers Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock were determined came out all guns blazing to smash the DC bowler all-over the park. They added as many as 45 runs in the first four overs as well. De Kock was the first one to go with Marcus Stoinis striking off the first ball of his spell.
But Rohit didn’t lose his focus and even Suryakumar Yadav came out and slammed a four and a six to get going. The duo kept the Mumbai Indians ahead in the chase to add 46 runs, but it ended with a horrible mix-up to end the partnership. Rohit made sure though that he stayed in the middle to take his team home as he completed a half-century clicking at the perfect time for the team.
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However, the MI skipper couldn’t remain unbeaten and got out after scoring 68 off 51 balls. Despite losing two more wickets in the end, the MI were on their way to lift the trophy for the fifth time. Ishan Kishan once again stood like a rock to take the team home in the 19th over of the innings. MI was absolutely dominating in the final and their experience in the crunch game worked for them while the Capitals should be proud of their effort and will hope to come back strong in 2021.
Here is how Twitter reacted to MI’s title defense:
5till the @IPL championsssssss!
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 10, 2020
Great #IPL … The best team in the world won at a canter … Full credit to all players for producing an incredible standard in these testing times … Without question the IPL is the best T20 tournament by a country mile … #India
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) November 10, 2020
https://twitter.com/hershybru/status/1326212700456804354?s=20
Rohit Sharma today:
– 5th IPL title as captain (Most)
– 6th IPL title as player (Most)
– 7th T20 final win as captain (Joint-most)
– 10th T20 final win as player (Most by an Indian)
– 200th IPL game
– 3000 IPL runs as captain
– 4000 IPL runs for MI#IPL2020 #MIvDC #IPL2020final— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 10, 2020
𝙋𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙞 𝙙𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙮𝙖 𝙨𝙚 𝙠𝙖𝙝𝙤 𝘾𝙊𝙋𝙔 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏! https://t.co/3JJbbwLz5O
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 10, 2020
5 titles since 2013, heck of an achievement in such a competitive tournament #IPLfinal #IPL2020 #MIvsDC
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) November 10, 2020
YESSSSS!!!!! MUMBAAAAAIIIIIIIIII!
Champions…. COME ON!!!@mipaltan #MIvDC #IPL2020final— Abhishek 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧 (@juniorbachchan) November 10, 2020
If u look at @DelhiCapitals team there is only one player who is a regular in nationa team…Rabada…rest r in n out players…on the contrary @mipaltan all the players r international stars…1st eleven players and domestic players r the best…wow mumbai
— Samip Rajguru (@samiprajguru) November 10, 2020
https://twitter.com/fwildecricket/status/1326214618730139648?s=20https://twitter.com/vinodkambli349/status/1326214581794922497?s=20
Congratulations @mipaltan @ImRo45 and entire team for winning the 5th 🏆.. Outstanding
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) November 10, 2020
Congratulations @mipaltan 👏🏼👏🏼Another thoroughly deserved @IPL title 🏆 @ImRo45 showing his class as a player and captain yet again 🔥 #IPL2020final
— Ian Bell MBE (@Ian_Bell) November 10, 2020
Respect bro 👏
Not many would do that which you did @surya_14kumar #IPLfinal #MIvsDC pic.twitter.com/EPzhE5gYCH— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) November 10, 2020
#Mi isn’t just the best team in the #IPL, they’re the best team on the planet. Head and shoulders above the rest. Winning the crown is difficult…defending it is even tougher. Only the second team to do so in the IPL. 👏👏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 10, 2020
7:30 PM from tomorrow onwards. pic.twitter.com/CR3bpiGtl8
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) November 10, 2020
