IPL: Delhi Capitals dent Mumbai Indians' play-off chances with four-wicket win

Shreyas Iyer missed the first half of this IPL season as he recovered for a shoulder injury suffered while playing for India against England

Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin produced a match-winning stand of 39 to help Delhi Capitals beat holders Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

Earlier, Mumbai made 129-8 with Suryakumar Yadav top-scoring with 33, while Avesh Khan took 3-15 and Axar Patel 3-21.

The defeat means Mumbai's play-off hopes are no longer in their hands.

Delhi are already guaranteed a spot in the top four, but this wins puts them in pole position to gain a top-two place and a chance to automatically qualify for the final in the qualifier on 11 October.

Avesh and Nortje impress again

Teams have found batting hard at Sharjah in this edition of the IPL, with pitches low and slow meaning the average first-innings score, in five games, is just 134.

Mumbai, who have now only one of their five games since the tournament restarted, failed to get that because of some superb bowling from Delhi Capitals.

Left-arm spinner Axar, who tormented England over the winter, was impressive but 24-year-old India pace bowler Avesh and South Africa's Anrich Nortje were the main stars.

Both bowled with pace, and accuracy, and were extremely economical, only conceding 34 between them in eight overs. They bowled a remarkable 31 dot balls.

Nortje once again showed his middle-over prowess as he got the key wicket of West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, bowling him for just six.

It was part of a wicket maiden from Nortje, and Avesh then only conceded one from the next over, and it was clever captaincy from Rishbah Pant to front-load the innings with his key bowlers and put pressure on Mumbai.

Avesh, who is yet to play for India, got India opener Rohit Sharma in the powerplay, before coming back to bowl Hardik Pandya and Nathan Coulter-Nile with two deadly yorkers in the 19th over.

He now has 21 wickets this year - with only Harshal Patel's 26 for Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead - and if Delhi are to win their first title he and Nortje are going to be key components.

Listen to commentary of Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app from 15:00 BST on Saturday, 2 October.