KATHMANDU: Mumbai Indians secured a fifth Indian Premier League title with a five-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the final.
Mumbai, the most successful team in IPL history, chased 157 with eight balls to spare as captain Rohit Sharma hit 68 runs.
Trent Boult took 3-30 for Mumbai, including Marcus Stoinis with the first ball of the match in Dubai.
Delhi was 22-3 before captain Shreyas Iyer made 65 not out – he added 96 with Rishabh Pant – but Mumbai ensured their total was never enough.
The defending champion was always in control of their chase after Rohit and Quinton de Kock plundered 45 from the first four overs.
Rohit was caught at deep mid-wicket with 20 needed from 23 balls and, although Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya soon followed, Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 33 off 19 balls took Mumbai to victory.
It follows their IPL wins in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 and means it has won the world’s premier domestic Twenty20 competition at least twice more than any other team.
This year’s tournament was held in the United Arab Emirates without fans and delayed from the spring because of the COVID-19.
England pace bowler Jofra Archer was named as the most valuable player. He took 20 wickets and scored 113 runs, including 10 sixes, for Rajasthan Royals.
A comprehensive win for Mumbai was a fitting end to a tournament in which they have been the outstanding team.
New Zealand seamer Boult, who starred throughout with 25 wickets, bowled a brilliant new-ball spell to put the game in their favour.
Delhi rallied through Iyer and Pant, who made 56 off 38 balls, but Mumbai finished the innings impressively, conceding only 20 runs off the last three overs.
Rohit batted majestically, hitting five fours and four sixes in his trademark, classical style. His first six, over long-on off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, came from the third ball of the chase.
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