HALF-centuries by Sachin Tendulkar and Saurabh Tiwary helped the Mumbai Indians secure a 98-run win over the Delhi Daredevils in their IPL clash. The pair hit 63 and 61 respectively as Mumbai posted 218 for seven, the highest total so far in this year’s tournament.
Delhi never really got going in response as Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh and Sanath Jayasuriya claimed two wickets apiece to help restrict them to just 120.
Daredevils openers Virender Sehwag and Tillakaratne Dilshan began their reply reasonably promisingly with a 38-run stand, but Lasith Malinga broke the partnership in the fourth over by bowling Sri Lanka team-mate Dilshan for 17.
Bravo then removed Sehwag (26) and AB de Villiers, before Dinesh Karthik, Farveez Maharoof and Mithun Manhas all went cheaply, leaving the Daredevils in trouble from which they could not recover. Skipper Gautam Gambhir did not bat due to an injury, making matters worse for Delhi.
Earlier, the veteran duo of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya gave the visitors a good start with an opening stand of 38 runs after being put in to bat first.
Jayasuriya fell in the fourth over when he could not keep a Maharoof delivery down and substitute Yogesh Nagar caught a stunner at mid-off.
Aditya Tare joined Tendulkar but did not last long and fell in the seventh over to Pradeep Sangwan.
Unfazed by the falling wickets, the Mumbai skipper continued to score at a brisk pace and completed his half-century in 23 balls.
Amit Mishra gave Delhi a breakthrough by claiming the prized wicket of Tendulkar (63) in the 12th over. However, Tiwary (61) along with Ambati Rayudu (34) made sure the run-rate continued to be more than 10 runs per over for Mumbai. (Eurosport)