CHENNAI: Five titles in eight years. In the short history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), this is an unparalleled success, success Mumbai Indians can boast about. They entered the final against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday — a team they had already defeated thrice this season — as favourites and they lived up to the tag. Under the Dubai lights, they completed a five-wicket win to ensure they became only the second team after Chennai Super Kings to defend the title.
Despite the match lasting 39 overs, Delhi hardly put Mumbai in a spot of bother. In fact, the final bordered on being a one-sided contest for the majority. Mumbai had answers to every question Delhi posed. Right from the start of the season, Mumbai have been the standout team, with their bowling arsenal complimenting their batting line-up that muscled totals at will.
To stop such an in-form, well-oiled team, Delhi needed to bring their A-game. Instead, they appeared to take the field as if they felt Mumbai already had the upper hand. Mumbai, on the other hand, were calm and composed. A relaxed body language meant Trent Boult was on the money straightaway, Marcus Stoinis edging the first ball to the wicketkeeper. From there on, except for the 11.3 overs when Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant kept Delhi hopes alive, the IPL trophy was heading only one way, back to Mumbai.
Compared to other teams, Rohit Sharma's men are a side that relies heavily on data. It is a squad comprising of players picked by their robust scouting team headed by John Wright. The Pandya brothers, Krunal and Hardik, and Jasprit Bumrah are their finds which complement their core group that has remained intact. Apart from relying on auction, they use the trading window to plug their holes. Quinton de Kock and Trent Boult are two players they traded from other teams. It shows how prepared they are.
This is their third final in four years, each one ending in a win, and it showed how far they are ahead of other teams. If Chennai Super Kings dominated the first half-a-dozen years, the second half has seen Mumbai emerge as one of the best sides in the format.