If Sameer Rizvi starred with the bat, Mukesh Kumar laid the platform for Delhi Capitals’ six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2026 match on Saturday.
Mukesh gave Delhi a brilliant start by taking out Ryan Rickelton and Tilak Varma in the space of three deliveries to reduce MI to 28 for 2 inside three overs.
Speaking on his performance after the match, Mukesh said he looked to attack the stumps. “My mindset is still to take wickets. That is why I was bowling at the stumps. I was looking to attack.”
“You have to first read the pitch, whether it is slow or not. You have to make your plans accordingly. Here, if you hit the pitch hard, the bounce was generally low. I focused on that and mixed it up with cutters,” he added.
Mukesh said it is important to pick wickets in the powerplay as it keeps the pressure on the batting side.
“If you take wickets in the powerplay, it creates mental pressure on the batting team and keeps the run rate under control. If no wickets fall, the team can easily score 70-80 runs, whereas if wickets fall, the score can be limited to 50,” Mukesh said.
Rizvi scored a sensational 90 runs to lead Delhi’s run chase but Mukesh admitted that the pitch didn’t behave as they had expected.
“Last year, we played on high-scoring tracks and had asked for a flat wicket, but this surface wasn’t like that. Initially, we tried to get swing, but then adjusted our plans based on the conditions,” he said.
Mumbai Indians definitely missed the services of their regular skipper Hardik Pandya who missed out because of illness.
“He was unwell, so he couldn’t play. Hopefully, he will be back for the next game,” MI pacer Deepak Chahar said.
Chahar added that it was difficult to defend 160 in an afternoon game and also pointed to the pitch being on the slower side.
“Defending 160 in an afternoon game is very difficult. You need wickets at regular intervals. The pitch was a bit slow, and the toss was crucial because there was some moisture early on. We were probably 10-15 runs short,” he said.
“The pitch got better for batting in the second innings,” he added.
Chahar also lauded Rizvi’s knock and said the youngster is playing with lot of belief.
“Rizvi has a lot of potential. CSK picked him because they saw that. With experience, he has improved. Confidence is key in the IPL, and he is playing with a lot of belief. It’s a lesson for everyone that confidence can make a big difference,” he said.
