IPL 10, Match 25, MI vs DD: CT player of the match - Mitchell McClenaghan

Mumbai Indians are on a stupendous run this season. They were top of the league and already had 10 points on the board before going into this game. Delhi Daredevils, on the other hand, had won 2 out of their 5 games and were still sitting pretty on fifth, thanks to their healthy net run-rate. Wankhede has been Mumbai’s fortress since the inception of the Indian Premier League and it has hardly been breached.

However, Delhi went in with a plan and they executed it perfectly until one point. Having to chase 143 in the 20 overs is not a big deal but Delhi were miserable while chasing and the reason for this was Mitchell McClenaghan. He was fantastic on the day and bowled a magnificent line and length to reduce the opposition to 24 for 6.

For this amazing performance, McClenaghan becomes CricTracker’s player of the match.

Bowled a fantastic first spell

Mitchell McClenaghan has been a vital part of the Mumbai Indians squad since last 2 years. He has been consistent for them and has performed extremely well throughout the two seasons. This year is no exception as the Kiwi continues to impress. Today, Mumbai were defending a miserly 143 and they needed some inspiration up front and this man provided it with a superb spell. In his first over, Mitchell snatched the important wicket of Sanju Samson who was looking extremely dangerous. This put the Delhi Daredevils under pressure as he continued to impress.

Ran havoc through the Delhi lineup

McClenaghan is known for his accurate line and perfect length. He is one of the most economical bowlers of the Indian Premier League. But, in the last few matches, he was on the expensive side and wanted to improve on that front and he did. He not only improved economically but also picked up some crucial wickets. He first picked up Samson, then followed it by sending back Shreyas Iyer and then grabbed the dangerous Corey Anderson. This meant that Delhi were struggling at 21 for 4 and McClenaghan had the figures of 3 for 7 in his 2 overs.

Bowled well at a very crucial time

Just when Morris and Rabada were looking dangerous, Rohit called his trump card, McClenaghan. In the absence of Malinga, it was up to this man to break the partnership. Although he could not pick up any wickets, McClenaghan kept it extremely tight, he did not give the pair any chance to explore the boundaries as he gave away just 5 runs in his third over. His last over, however, was a bit expensive but even then this man from New Zealand finished his quota of four overs and gave away just 24 runs at an economy rate of six runs per over. This ensured that Mumbai were not tamed by Delhi and had extended their winning streak to 6 games.

For this fantabulous performance, Mitchell McClenaghan is CricTracker’s player of the match with a rating of 4 out of 5.