Mumbai crush Delhi for back-to-back IPL titles

Defending champions Mumbai Indians have won the Indian Premier League for a record-extending fifth time after routing the Delhi Capitals by five wickets in the final.

In reply to Delhi's 7-156, Mumbai cruised to 5-157 in 18.4 overs on the back of captain Rohit Sharma's 68 off 51 balls in his 200th IPL game, and spoiled the Capitals' first appearance in the final.

Delhi struggled against Mumbai's pace, led by Trent Boult's 3-30, including a wicket with the first ball of the final.

Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer, who won the toss, made an unbeaten 65 and Rishabh Pant notched his first half-century this season before falling to Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile on 56.

The IPL was played in the United Arab Emirates to protect the entire league from the coronavirus.

Mumbai, the IPL winner in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, topped the league round-robin and dominated second-placed Delhi in all four of their matches, including two in the playoffs.

Sharma and Quinton de Kock provided Mumbai a rollicking start of 45 off only 25 balls and virtually sealed the result within the first five overs.

Sharma opened his scoring by hoisting Ravichandran Ashwin for a straight six in the first over and de Kock blasted Delhi's premier fast bowler, Kagiso Rabada, for two fours and a six in the South African's first over, which went for 18 runs.

Marcus Stoinis, who was dismissed off Boult's first ball in the final when Delhi batted, got the breakthrough off his first delivery when he found the edge of de Kock's bat.

Suryakumar Yadav looked in good touch for his 19 before he sacrificed his wicket and was run out when Sharma went for a needless run.

Delhi reduced the margin of defeat when Anrich Nortje claimed two late wickets, including Sharma's dismissal in the 17th over when he was brilliantly caught by diving substitute fielder Lalit Yadav.

Sharma showed no signs of the hamstring injury which initially ruled him out of India's upcoming tour of Australia - he hit four sixes and five fours.

Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 33 off 19 balls to ease Mumbai to victory with eight balls to spare.

Delhi struggled throughout the tournament to preserve wickets in the first six overs of the powerplay and failed again on Tuesday as it lost its top three batsmen with only 22 runs on the board within the first four overs.

Stoinis went first ball to Boult, and Ajinkya Rahane nicked the New Zealand fast bowler down the leg side to wicketkeeper de Kock.

Offspinner Jayant Yadav, playing in only his second game this season, then clean bowled Shikhar Dhawan on 15.

Iyer and Pant revived the innings with a 96-run stand before Mumbai came back strongly in the death overs by allowing only 38 runs in the last five overs.

Coulter-Nile deceived Pant with a short slower delivery and the left-hander holed out at fine leg after hitting four boundaries and two sixes.

Boult returned and had Shermon Hetmyer steer an easy catch to short third man, and Axar Patel was outfoxed by Coulter-Nile with another slower short ball.