IPL 2021: Avesh, Axar shine as Delhi restrict Mumbai to 129/8

Sharjah [UAE], October 2 (ANI): Spinner Axar Patel and pacer Avesh Khan picked three wickets apiece as Delhi Capitals (DC) restricted Mumbai Indians (MI) to just 129/8 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

For Mumbai, Suryakumar Yadav and Quinton de Kock scored 33 and 19 runs respectively. Axar Patel scalped the wickets of Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav and Saurabh Tiwary while Avesh removed the dangerous Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Put into bat, MI got off to a horrible start as Avesh dismissed Rohit in the second over of the innings. de Kock and Suryakumar then applied themselves as MI's score read 35/1 after the powerplay.

Bowling his first over, Axar Patel removed de Kock in the 7th over. The South African batter walked back after scoring 19 off 18 balls. After a couple of wicket-less overs, the MI score read 66/2 at the halfway mark in the innings.

In the 11th over Axar Patel struck again as he removed Suryakumar. The youngster was looking good and was slowly looking to take the attack to the opposition when Axar sent him back for 33 as MI was reduced to 68/3. The wickets kept falling at regular intervals as Mumbai lost Saurabh Tiwary and Kieron Pollard within the span of 10 balls.

Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya tried to steady the ship for MI in the death overs but Avesh removed Hardik in the penultimate over of the innings along with Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Ashwin then got his first wicket of the innings in the last over as he dismissed Jayant Yadav.

Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 129/8 (Suryakumar Yadav 33, Quinton de Kock 19; Axar Patel 3-21, Avesh Khan 3-15) vs Delhi Capitals. (ANI)