Mumbai Indians, despite a sluggish middle phase, managed to post a competitive total of 180/5 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium. The recovery was spearheaded by Suryakumar Yadav, who played a crucial innings of 73 off 43 deliveries, filled with trademark flair and finesse. Naman Dhir provided the late spark with a lively cameo, ensuring MI finished strong by collecting 48 runs in the final two overs, shifting the momentum decisively in their favour.
Delhi Capitals, facing a must-win scenario, crumbled early under the pressure of both the scoreboard and the occasion. Within the first five overs, they were reduced to 27/3, losing their key batters—captain Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul, and Abishek Porel. MI’s bowlers struck in tandem, with Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Will Jacks each taking a wicket, giving the hosts the ideal start to their defense.
Things took a bizarre turn when Will Jacks, fresh off taking a wicket, tried to put pressure on the new batter Vipraj Nigam by stacking the leg side with fielders—only to commit a major error. With a leg slip, short leg, and short mid-wicket in place, MI had more than the allowed five fielders on the leg side. The umpire promptly called a no-ball, much to Jacks’ dismay and Hardik Pandya’s confusion, who had a brief chat with the officials.
Vipraj Nigam, who was still settling in at the crease, suddenly found himself facing a free hit. Jacks, already flustered, bowled a short and wide delivery which Nigam happily sent soaring over the in-field to the cover boundary. What should have been a tight over turned into a costly one for Mumbai, and social media erupted in laughter over the unforced error.
— samson (@samson8943) May 21, 2025
In a high-pressure match with playoff implications, such moments stood out. Jacks’ tactical gamble turned into a self-inflicted wound, adding a quirky subplot to an otherwise intense encounter. Although Delhi continued to lose ground, the comical sequence gave fans a moment of levity amid the tension of a crucial IPL clash.