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NEW DELHI: Jake Fraser-McGurk produced a power-hitting master class as Delhi Capitals kept itself in the race for IPL play-offs with a 10-run win over Mumbai Indians here on Saturday.
Bringing his big-hitting prowess to the fore, young McGurk gave the scorching Delhi heat competition with a sizzling 27-ball 84, powering DC to a huge 257 for four after being asked to bat.
Tilak Varma (63) and Hardik Pandya (46) played some lofty shots to give MI a glimmer of hope but Delhi bowlers, led by Rasikh Salam (3/34), kept striking at regular intervals to stop MI at 247 for 9. While McGurk sparkled upfront, Tristan Stubbs dazzled with an unbeaten 48 off 25 balls at the death overs as DC put up a superlative batting effort to register its highest-ever score in IPL. In reply, MI’s script didn’t go as per plan as Khaleel Ahmed drew first blood in the form of Rohit Sharma (8).
With more than 250 runs to score, MI batters had to go from the word go and that led to Ishan Kishan (20) and Suryakumar Yadav’s (26) wickets. Three wickets down and the required run rate increasing, Pandya took things in his own hands, plundering 19 runs of the ninth over by DC’s star spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
He punched three fours before launching the ball for a towering six over long on. Tilak Varma joined in with a boundary and a six off Axar Patel as the duo stitched a 71-run stand.
But ‘Impact Player’ Salam not only broke the partnership, claiming Pandya’s wicket but also got rid of Nehal Wadhera in the same over. Earlier, opening for DC for the second time this season, the 22-year-old Fraser-McGurk equalled his own record for the fastest fifty this season, getting the milestone off just 15 balls after the host was put in to bat by MI. With McGurk in the middle, it was raining boundaries and sixes. He hit 11 fours and six maximums. He got 19 runs off the first over bowled by Luke Wood, setting the tone as he skilfully exploited the field restrictions in the powerplay to nab 92 runs.
Facing arguably the best bowler in the world, the Australian greeted Jasprit Bumrah with a six over log on, followed by a four in the second over.
McGurk then took a special liking for Pandya as he clobbered the ball out of the park before sending one over deep mid-wicket as Abishek Porel (36) had the best seat to enjoy the stroke-making, standing at the other end. Chawla finally managed to put an end to the carnage with a googly. MI dominated for a couple of overs, with Mohammad Nabi picking up Porel in the 10th over. But Shai Hope (41) swung into action, hitting five sixes while Rishabh Pant (29) unleashed the helicopter shot.
BRIEF SCORES: DC 257/4 in 20 overs (JF McGurk 84, T Stubbs 48*, S Hope 41) bt MI 247/9 in 20 overs (T Varma 63, H Pandya 46, R Salam 3/34, M Kumar 3/59)
