Lendl Simmons steps up in style to lead Mumbai Indians to IPL 2017 play-offs

Lendl Simmons top-scored for Mumbai Indian's in their win over Delhi Daredevils. Tsering Topgyal / AP Photo

Mumbai Indians became the first team to qualify for the 2017 Indian Premier League play-offs after thrashing Delhi Daredevils by 146 runs on Saturday.

After setting Delhi a daunting 213 for victory, Mumbai proceeded to roll through their opponents, bowling them out for 66. Much of the damage with the ball was caused by Karn Sharma, who produced match-best bowling figures of 3-11 from 3.4 overs. Fellow spinner Harbhajan Singh also chipped in with three wickets, going for 22 runs, while Sri Lanka quick Lasith Malinga took two wickets from his two overs for the loss of just five runs.

After winning the toss, Delhi elected to put Mumbai in to bat, and the visitors to the Feroz Shah Kotla were quickly on the front foot. Lendl Simmons and fellow opener Parthiv Patel put on 79 runs for the first wicket before the latter was dismissed for 25.

However, Patel’s exit brought Kieron Pollard to the crease, and the West Indies batsman partnered with his compatriot to put on 37 runs for the second wicket before Simmons went for an innings-high 66.

Pollard (62 not out) was then joined by Rohit Sharma (10), and saw out the Mumbai innings with Hardik Pandya (29 not out).

“I’ve been practicing hard. I’ve been hitting the gym, keeping my fitness up, waiting for the opportunity,” said man of the match Simmons, who was making his first appearance in this season’s IPL.

“It came today and I took it in both hands. I’m good as a replacement player, it’s been good for me.”

Delhi’s reply began in the worst possible fashion when Sanju Samson went for a first-ball duck. It set the tone for a disastrous Delhi innings, with Karun Nair top-scoring on 21.

Defeat leaves Delhi precariously placed in sixth with three games remaining, five points behind fourth-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last of the play-off places.

“It’s tough to restrict a team on this sort of wicket and once the target is over 200, you have to go after it,” Delhi captain Zaheer Khan said.

“We have to stay positive, we have to regroup, we have a slight break. But it’s all about winning games, the play-offs is still possible.”

In the day’s earlier game, Rising Pune Supergiant moved up to second with a 12-run win over Hyderabad.

Batting first, Pune put on what seemed a chaseable 148, with their three star batsmen — Steve Smith, Ben Stokes and MS Dhoni — all scoring in the 30s.

However, David Warner (40) and Yuvraj Singh (47) were offered no support by their Hyderabad teammates as they slumped to defeat.

“Very good win, the boys scrapped well,” Pune captain Smith said. “We thought 150-160 would be par. We did well to scrap to 147 in the end. We have played really well in the last seven or eight games.”

Hyderabad’s play-off destiny is now out of their hands if Kings XI Punjab beat Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders in their two games in hand.

Sunday’s matches see Royal Challengers Bangalore host Kolkata Knight Riders before Kings XI Punjab take on Gujarat Lions.

* The National staff

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