Proteas batsman Ryan Rickelton stars as Mumbai Indians edge Delhi Capitals in IPL thriller

Chasing a formidable target of 206, Delhi appeared in control at 135 for 2, thanks to a commanding 89-run knock by Karun Nair. However, a dramatic collapse, triggered by Mumbai's leg-spinner Karn Sharma, saw the hosts bundled out for 193, handing them their first defeat of the season after four consecutive wins.

For Mumbai, the win marked only their second from six matches in the 2025 campaign, offering a much-needed boost to their playoff ambitions.

Delhi required 23 runs from the final two overs, and lower-order batter Ashutosh Sharma raised hopes with two boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah. However, the 19th over culminated in chaos, with three run-outs in the final three deliveries, dashing Delhi's chances and sealing Mumbai's triumph.

The loss overshadowed a remarkable return for Karun Nair, playing his first IPL match in three years. Entering the fray as an impact substitute following the early dismissal of Jake Fraser-McGurk on the very first delivery, Nair produced a fluent 89 off 40 balls. His innings included a rapid 22-ball half-century - his first in the IPL in seven years - and a crucial 119-run partnership with Abhishek Porel.

Mumbai's bowling resurgence began with Karn Sharma, who removed Porel for 33 before Mitchell Santner bowled Nair to derail Delhi's chase. Karn went on to dismiss Tristan Stubbs and then took a sharp return catch to send back KL Rahul for 15, effectively turning the match in Mumbai's favour.

Earlier in the match, Mumbai Indians posted a commanding 205 for 5, thanks in large part to contributions from the top and middle order. Tilak Varma led the charge with a powerful 59-run innings, sharing a key partnership with Naman Dhir, who remained unbeaten on 38.

Opening the innings, Ryan Rickelton impressed with a brisk 41 off 25 balls, forging an energetic partnership with Rohit Sharma that gave Mumbai early momentum. While Rohit continued his poor run of form-scoring just 18 before falling lbw to Vipraj Nigam - Rickleton's aggression ensured the innings stayed on course.

Suryakumar Yadav then added impetus with 40 off 28 deliveries. Together with Varma, he added 60 vital runs. Although Kuldeep Yadav and Nigam briefly stemmed the flow of runs by dismissing Suryakumar and captain Hardik Pandya in successive overs, the lower-middle order maintained pressure on the Delhi bowlers.

Varma, who fell in the final over, ensured Mumbai breached the 200-run mark with valuable support from Dhir, giving their bowlers a solid platform to defend.

With this result, Mumbai Indians will look to build momentum as the tournament progresses, while Delhi Capitals must regroup after seeing their unbeaten streak come to an end.

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