In a game that had everything — 504 runs, blistering boundaries, and high drama — Delhi Capitals held their nerve to edge past Mumbai Indians despite Tilak and David's late fightback
It was an evening filled with fireworks on 27 April 2024. However, for Mumbai Indians, the brightest sparks faded just before the finish line. At the Arun Jaitley Stadium, they scored their highest-ever IPL score — 247. Yet, that wasn't enough. Delhi Capitals outgunned them with 257 runs of their own. Ten runs separated the two sides. But for MI, the gap felt wider. It was a match where history was made, only to be followed by heartbreak.
Delhi's innings exploded right from ball one. Jake Fraser-McGurk, the young Aussie, didn't just arrive — he stormed in. Three deliveries into the innings, MI were already searching for answers. A flurry of boundaries and sixes made Luke Wood's opening over a nightmare. Then came Bumrah, MI's go-to man. Even he wasn't spared. A no-ball, a free-hit, a boundary — it was chaos. Fraser-McGurk's fifty came off just 15 balls, one of the fastest ever in IPL. The damage had been done by the time he holed out for 84 off 27.
After Fraser-McGurk, there was no break. Shai Hope walked in and lit up the middle overs. He'd been working on power-hitting in recent times, and it showed. Five sixes flew off his bat in a flash. Then came Tristan Stubbs, using every trick in the book — scoops, slaps, reverse hits. He stayed unbeaten on 48, and even Jasprit Bumrah's tight 19th over couldn't stop Delhi from surging past 250. It was relentless. MI was left gasping for breath, needing a mountain of runs to stay alive.
In response, MI began briskly. Ishan Kishan looked sharp, cracking three fours early on. But Khaleel Ahmed cut short the party by removing Rohit Sharma. Mukesh Kumar then had Kishan slicing one skyward. MI were two down inside four overs. Suryakumar Yadav played a fiery cameo, with cheeky scoops and boundaries galore. But he, too, fell, trying to outfox Khaleel. At 65 for 3, MI was in trouble — chasing 258 would always demand more.
When MI was rebuilding through Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, Delhi found its hero. Rasikh Salam, brought in as an Impact Player, lived up to the name. First, he foxed Hardik with a slower one. Then, two balls later, Nehal Wadhera was gone too. That one overturned the tide. From there, MI needed 117 runs off seven overs. It was do-or-die. Tilak began swinging. David followed. But the required rate kept ticking upwards.
Tilak Varma rose to the moment. He launched Kuldeep Yadav for two monstrous sixes. A 21-run over briefly reignited hope. David then took Mukesh Kumar apart. A couple of sixes and a four meant the chase was still alive. But when MI was close to narrowing the gap, David was trapped lbw—another twist. Rasikh's next over saw him give away 16 — but he also picked up Mohammad Nabi. Now, MI needed 25 off the last six balls. It's doable — but only just.
Tilak stood tall, Mumbai's last real chance. The first ball — he went for two, pushing the fielders. But a direct hit ended it. He was run out. Mukesh then bowled four nerveless deliveries. DC had pulled off a win — despite conceding 247. MI had the runs, the power-hitters, the momentum. But they lacked the finishing touch. For Delhi, it was jubilation. For Mumbai, a record score became a mere footnote in a story of missed chances.
