IPL 2018, DD vs MI: Ben Cutting’s wicket in the last over is the SK Turning Point 

The equation was simple for the Mumbai Indians – win the game and they guaranteed a playoff spot as they had the superior net run rate. However, Delhi Daredevils were coming on the back off a good win against Chennai Super Kings. And Delhi did a big favour to Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab by pulling off an upset as they beat the Rohit Sharma-led side by 11 runs in a thrilling game.

Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat first. DD got off to a decent start as Prithvi Shaw and Glenn Maxwell raced off to 30 in the first 3 overs. But the two batsmen got out in back-to-back overs and it put a little pressure on the Delhi middle-order. But Rishabh Pant continued his excellent form and struck a brilliant 64 off 44 deliveries as he held DD’s middle-order. But the Delhi wicket-keeper batsman got out in the 17th over and it seemed like the hosts might lose the momentum towards the end of the innings. But Vijay Shankar’s 43 and a 10-ball 15 from 17-year-old Abhishek Sharma propelled DD to an above-par total of 174.

In reply, Surya Kumar Yadav started the chase with a bang as he struck a four and a six off the first two deliveries before falling in the first over. However, Evin Lewis’s 48 put Mumbai back on track. But after his departure in the 9th over MI totally lost the plot. They went from 74/2 to 78/5 as the DD wrist-spinners got their side back into the contest.

Skipper Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya then tried to stabilize the run-chase. The junior Pandya was looking good as he eased some nerves as he struck a couple of boundaries and a six in the span of two overs. Rohit Sharma was rotating the strike well and it seemed he wanted to take the game deep.

But poor shot selection from both Rohit and Hardik derailed MI’s chase once again. Both of them were dismissed in the space of 6 deliveries and Mumbai slipped to 122/7. Amit Mishra and Sandeep Lamichhane had wreaked havoc as they took 3 wickets apiece and were excellent throughout the game.

MI still needed 53 off 31 deliveries at that stage (when Pandya was dismissed) and Ben Cutting was the only recognised batsman left. Hence, the game seemed dead and buried but if MI needed to get close, it had to be the Aussie all-rounder. He did take responsibility and took MI mighty close. He first played out Sandeep Lamichhane’s final over. He was then dropped in the next over at deep square-leg.

Cutting took full advantage of his life as he struck two sixes and two fours in the next five deliveries to keep MI in the hunt. He farmed most of the strike and was batting very smartly. After a 15-run 18th over, Trent Boult bowled a superb penultimate over as he conceded just 5.

However, DD had a problem as both Liam Plunkett and Harshal Patel had gone for runs and they needed to decide between the two for the final over. Since the England pacer was hit for 15 runs in the 18th over, Shreyas Iyer went to Harshal Patel.

18 runs were required in the final over but importantly for MI, Cutting was on strike and given the way he was batting, they were alive in the game. The Aussie all-rounder struck a six as he pulled one over fine-leg to raise the hopes in the MI camp. Suddenly, the pressure was back on DD and Patel as Cutting was batting beautifully and was threatening to pull off a miraculous win.

However, those hopes came crashing down as Cutting got out the very next delivery and took MI’s hopes of qualifying with him. It was a slower delivery bowled back of a length and it looked like it was in the slot but Cutting couldn’t time the ball and holed out at deep mid-wicket. His wicket sealed the game for DD and that was the SK Turning Point of the game.

Bumrah was out on the next delivery and Delhi finished off a disappointing season on a high. But it was heartbreak for Mumbai as they once again looked to make another late comeback in the tournament. Also, it was only the second time that MI failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2010. Hence, Delhi Daredevils did Rajasthan Royals (or Kings XI Punjab) a big favour as they knocked Mumbai Indians out of this IPL.