Brief score:Mumbai Indians 217/2 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 61, Rohit Sharma 53; Riyan Parag 1/12) vs.

RR finished their power-play on 62/5.

Jaiswal was also soon removed by Trent Boult for 13 (6) in the second over of the innings.

The Royals have a daunting task ahead. The veteran seamer Bumrah removed Shimron Hetmyer on the very next ball.

Earlier, MI put up a commanding total of 217/2 against RR on Thursday, thanks to a strong start by openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton, followed by a blazing finish from Suryakumar Yadav and MI captain Hardik Pandya.

The MI openers got off to a flying start, bringing up the team's 50 in just 5.2 overs and finishing the powerplay at 58 without loss.

Rickelton was the first to reach his half-century, getting there in 29 balls, while Rohit followed soon after with a 50 off 31 deliveries.

The duo stitched a 116-run opening partnership before Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana provided the breakthrough, dismissing Rickelton for 61 (38 balls), a knock studded with seven boundaries and three sixes.

Rohit departed shortly after for 53 (36 balls), which included nine fours, falling to Rajasthan skipper Riyan Parag.

Kuldeep struck immediately, a wonderful flighted googly that foxed Rickleton totally, his square cut still in an arch when his middle stump went missing. Japrit Bumrah may be undercooked after recovering from injury but he remains the most intimidating fast bowler in the world. But going for an non-existent second run would cost him his wicket as two more run outs off the next two successive deliveries meant Delhi lost a game by 12 runs when they needed 61 runs from the final seven overs.

Jofra Archer joined Jurel in the middle, both the batters rotated strike for couple of overs. MI captain Hardik Pandyatook the wicket of Shubman Dubey on his first ball in the match, Shubman made 15 (9) his innings included two fours and a six.

Jofra Archer joined Jurel in the middle, both the batters rotated strike for couple of overs.

The veteran seamer Bumrah removed Shimron Hetmyer on the very next ball. On these flat tracks and small boundaries, Starc’s pace and swing may not be as effective in taking wickets as it is in leaking runs.

And after Rohit had shown that both timing and fortune were on his side, it gave the impression that this was the night, conditions in his favour and a start established, that runs may be coming.

But as Rohit woefully went early on a slog sweep to a length ball from the young leggie Vipraj Nigam, and the subsequent DRS gave him his marching orders, the creeping feeling that India’s Test captain may have already seen his best days with his franchise would continue to linger after he left the capital.

Kuldeep chokes momentum

Before and after Rohit’s dismissal, it was Ryan Rickleton’s offence that kept Mumbai ticking nicely until Kuldeep Yadav was brought on.

He greeted Bumrah with a sweetly-timed cover drive, going inside out to meet the fullish delivery.

Archer and Akash Madhwal added 26 runs for the last wicket. And he made his IPL debut against Gujarat in April 2024. But Bumrah would bite back, taking Axar’s wicket and conceding only five runs from that over.

Hardik Pandya and Deepak Chahar took a wicket each.