After being restricted to 162 for eight, the home team, at the bottom of the league chart going into the match, bowled with purpose and struck blows at timely intervals to skittle the Delhi team for 133 in 18.5 overs.

The bowling heroes for the struggling home team were stand-in captain Pollock (2/16) and discarded India pacer Ashish Nehra, who took three for 25.

But the most telling blow was struck by Dominic Thornely who, after being introduced as the sixth bowler when Delhi skipper Virender Sehwag was on a rampage, dismissed the flamboyant opener with a low full toss.

Sehwag gave the Delhi Daredevils’ chase the early momentum with a quick-fire 40 off only 20 balls, inclusive of three sixes and as many fours. He added 45 with Shoaib Malik for the third wicket.

Sehwag’s dismissal simply unhinged the Delhi line-up and also brought the Mumbai Indians back into the game. Malik (24) and Dinesh Kaarthick (28) kept them in the fight but the rest simply caved in as Delhi suffered their second defeat.

Earlier, the Mumbai Indians batting failed to prosper after being asked to take first strike. Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya (34), newcomer Yogesh Takawale (14), Thornely (30) and Robin Uthappa (22) got starts but failed to make them count as the Delhi Daredevils struck at regular intervals.

After a opening stand of 46 between Takawale and Jayasuriya, the innings went into a decline before being propped up by Thornely (24b, 2x4, 2x6) and Uthappa.

The third-wicket pair put on 52 in 36 balls but once this stand was broken, there was a steep slide. From 102 for two, the home team slid to 112 for six before Pollock, with 33 in 15 balls, with three sixes and two fours, propelled them at the end.

SCOREBOARD

MUMBAI INDIANS: Yogesh Takawale c Sangwan b Yomahesh 14, Sanath Jayasuriya b Yomahesh 34, Dominic Thornely b Bhatia 30, Robin Uthappa c Malik b Sangwan 22, Dwayne Bravo c Yomahesh b Malik 2, Abhishek Nayar b Sehwag 2, Shaun Pollock c De Villiers b Yomahesh 33, Saurabh Tiwary c Malik b Asif 9, Rohan Raje (not out) 6, A Nehra (not out) 0. Extras (B-4, LB-2, W-3, NB-1) 10. Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 162.
Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-50, 3-102, 4-109, 5-112, 6-112, 7-136, 8-157.
Bowling: McGrath 4-0-26-0, Mohd. Asif 4-0-46-1. Yomahesh 4-0-33-3, Sangwan 4-0-21-1, Rajat Bhatia 2-0-22-1, Sehwag 1-0-2-1, Shoaib Malik 1-0-6-1.
DELHI DAREDEVILS: Gautam Gambhir c Uthappa b Nehra 1, V Sehwag c Pollock b Thornely 40, S Dhawan c Uthappa b Pollock 1, AB de Villiers (run out) 21, Shoaib Malik c Nayar b Pollock 24, D Kaarthick lbw Bravo 28, Rajat Bhatia c Uthappa b Nehra 9, Sangwan c Tiwary b Nehra 2, V Yomahesh (not out) 3, Mohammad Asif c Nehra b Kulkarni 0, McGrath c Thornely b Kulkarni 0. Extras (LB-3, NB-1) 4. Total (all out, 18.5 overs) 133.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-4, 3-37, 4-82, 5-109, 6-119, 7-130, 8-130, 9-132.
Bowling: Pollock 4-0-16-2, Nehra 4-0-25-3, Bravo 3-0-27-1, Kulkarni 2.5-0-18-2, Jayasuriya 1-0-16-0, Thornely 2-0-15-1, Rohan Raje 2-0-13-0.