Boult from the blue: How the Kiwi stunned Delhi in IPL 2020 Final

Trent Boult celebrating a wicket with teammates in the IPL 2020 final. (IPL)

Trent Boult made his way into the record books in Mumbai Indians’ clash against Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020 final as he became the first player in the tournament’s history to scalp a wicket off the first ball of a final on Tuesday.

In Mumbai’s previous match against Delhi in the first qualifier, Boult could only bowl two overs and he left the field thereafter. But in the final in Dubai, he came up with two strikes inside the powerplay.

After winning the toss, DC came out to bat first with Shikhar Dhawan and Marcus Stoinis.

On the first delivery of the opening over, Boult showed a superb use of the seam position and snared the wicket of the in-form Stoinis with a caught behind. Coming at the back of length, the delivery moved back into the wickets to force the Australian into a thick outside edge.

The New Zealand quick struck back again in the third over of the innings as he got rid of Ajinkya Rahane, leaving Delhi tottering at 16/2 in 2.4 overs.

Off the fourth ball of the over, the right-hander tried to flick a leg-side delivery but the ball found an edge and was neatly taken by de Kock behind the stumps.

Boult, who has had a brilliant season, has picked up 16 wickets in the powerplay of IPL 2020, boasting an economy rate of 6.72 in 36 overs. In the first overs of an innings in IPL 2020, he has scalped seven wickets at an economy of 4.86.

After the initial meltdown, Delhi would have hoped that their top-scorer Shikhar Dhawan would bail them out but Jayant Yadav had other ideas. The spinner reduced Delhi to 22/3 after 3.3 overs.

Brought in as a replacement for Rahul Chahar, a man who has taken 15 wickets this season, Jayant Yadav struck with his third ball, castling Dhawan, who could only muster 15 off 13 balls this time around.

Before the final, MI captain Rohit Sharma had said Boult’s inclusion was the icing on the cake for Mumbai.

“We wanted someone who could get us those breakthroughs in the powerplay and when we got Trent Boult it was the icing on the cake. He is the best new-ball bowler going around. We have Bumrah as well, he can bowl quality balls at any time,” Rohit said in a video posted on Mumbai Indians’ Twitter.

“But Boult with the new ball swings for us and that’s very crucial for us. And he has done really well in the tournament,” he added.

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