IPL 2020: Qualifier 1: MI vs DC: Ashwin impresses with a vintage spell

Add as a preferred source on Google

Abu Dhabi, November 5: R Ashwin cried loudly, come on, once Kieron Pollard went for sky off him in the second ball of the 13th over. It was as much a jubilation sensing the impending fall of a wicket as it was about seeing his ploy coming to a fruition.

It was the carrom ball that kept rather straight and Pollard could not resist the temptation of using the long handle against the Delhi Capitals spinner. His intention was the long-on boundary, a favoured area of Pollard. But Ashwin delivered the ball at a much slower pace, and Pollard could not meet the ball as he would have like it resulting in a catch to a diving Kagsio Rabada at long-on.

It was Ashwin's endless variations and his courage to employ them in an unforgiven format like T20 on show. But it was not the first time the vintage Ashwin was on view in the IPL 2020 Qualifier 1 against Mumbai Indians.

There was a time when Ashwin used to come in the Power Plays and bamboozle the best. Remember that over against Chris Gayle when Ashwin was playing for Chennai Super Kings? Ashwin had dismissed Gayle for a first-ball duck and killed the chase of Royal Challengers Bangalore in that IPL final.

On Thursday (November 5), Ashwin once again asked to use the new ball and delivered the dividends immediately. Rohit Sharma could not read a proper off-spinner from Ashwin and was trapped in front of the wicket. There was not even an attempt from Rohit to review the decision for the call so clear.

Ashwin returned in the 8th over to get rid of the dangerous Quinton de Kock. The first two balls to De Kock were at around 94 kmph, and the Ashwin dropped the third one short, asking the batsman to reach out for the ball.

De Kock took the bait and met the ball down the track but again it was delivered at a much lesser speed - 84 kmph - and it coupled with natural sluggishness of the pitch ensured that the South African left-hander could not get any elevation or distance in the shot. He was caught at long-off by Shikhar Dhawan.

There was Ashwin making an impact in three different stages of the match - Power Play, middle-overs and at a time when batsmen were looking to accelerate. Ashwin kept the Delhi Capitals in the match for a larger part of the game before Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan got them out of the prison.

But Ashwin made a bright impression.