Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was a relieved man after his team pulled off a win from under Delhi Capitals’ feet in New Delhi on Sunday.

It took some superb fielding to get MI over the line but not before Karn Sharma’s magic spell.

And Hardik credited ‘impact sub’ Karn Sharma for showing a lot of heart to fashion Mumbai Indians’ 12-run win over DC in New Delhi on Sunday, a result that helped the visitors get their IPL campaign back on track.

DC were cruising at 119 for one just after the halfway stage but were eventually bowled out for 193 in 19 overs, with spinner Karn playing a pivotal role by taking three wickets for 36 runs.

It was Rohit Sharma who suggested to coach Mahela Jayawardene to bring Karn into the attack and also requested a ball change after the 11th over.

“Absolutely. Winning is always special. Especially in games like this. You have to keep fighting and it means a lot,” said Pandya at the post-match presentation when asked if he felt relieved after MI secured only their second win of the season.

“(Karn was) Fantastic. Coming in and bowling the way he bowled, showed a lot of heart, especially at a small ground like that.”

Karun Nair’s whirlwind 89 went in vain, and Pandya admitted the knock took them by surprise.

“We were running out of options regarding what to bowl at him. The way he took on our bowlers, took his chances, and the way he executed — it shows the hard work he has put in. I think he took us by surprise.”

DC batters suffered a dramatic collapse that included three successive run outs, ending their chase at 193.

“I always believe fielding is something that can change the game upside down. We were switched on, didn’t give up, and they got the chances and converted.”

Sent in to bat, Tilak Varma smashed a 33-ball 59 to power Mumbai Indians to 205 for 5.

Ryan Rickelton (41 off 25), Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 28), and Naman Dhir (38 off 17) also made vital contributions.

Speaking about MI’s batting approach, Pandya said it depends on the situation.

“Amazing. It’s always going to depend on the situation. The more the in-form players try to face the balls and take responsibility.

“Obviously, dew played a factor later. Just making sure the game is not over till it’s over. Keep fighting — that was the chatter in the group and my message to the boys. Wins like this change the momentum and bring everything back.”

Abhishek Sharma returned to form with a breathtaking 141 off 55 balls, overshadowing Shreyas Iyer’s 82, as Sunrisers Hyderabad scripted the second-highest run chase in IPL history to return to winning ways with a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings in a high-scoring encounter here on Saturday.

Opting to bat, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer smashed a blistering 82 off 36 balls, laced with six sixes and as many fours, powering his side to a mammoth 245 for six, despite a four-wicket haul by Harshal Patel (4/42).

However, it was Abhishek Sharma, who had been struggling for form this season, whole stole the show with a sensational display of clean hitting. 

The southpaw, who was dropped twice, hammered 10 sixes and 14 fours, recording the highest individual score by an Indian in the history of IPL. SRH, languishing at the bottom of the table, chased down the target scoring 247 in just 18.3 overs, snapping a four-game losing streak.

Lockie Ferguson’s hamstring injury after bowling just two balls hampered Punjab Kings as they were left with a bowler short.

If Abhishek was the chief aggressor, smashing his way to an entertaining fifty in just 19 balls, AustralianTravis Head provided solid support, blasting three sixes and nine fours in a fluent 66 off 37 balls. The duo put on a record 171-run opening stand, making a mockery of the daunting chase.

The 24-year-old from Punjab dismantled the PBKS bowling attack with brute force. Marco Jansen was taken for four boundaries in the second over, and Yash Thakur was clobbered for two sixes and a four as SRH stormed to 60 in just four overs.

Part-time spinner Glenn Maxwell was welcomed with a six over extra cover and a four, but the real damage was felt by Yuzvendra Chahal, who dropped Abhishek off his own bowling and was later dispatched into the stands at midwicket.

Having played second fiddle early on, Head shifted gears in the ninth over, smashing Maxwell for back-to-back sixes. With Sunrisers in full flow, PBKS skipper Iyer used seven bowlers within the first nine overs, but none could make a breakthrough — partly due to some sloppy fielding.

Abhishek exploded again in the 10th over, carting Jansen for two sixes and two fours as SRH raced to 143 for no loss in 10 overs at the halfway mark.

Chahal finally broke the partnership in the 13th over, with Head holing out to long-on. Abhishek soon reached his maiden IPL century in 40 balls and celebrated by pulling out a piece of white paper from his pocket.

Needing 60 off the last six overs, Abhishek continued the carnage with two sixes and a four off Chahal, bringing up SRH’s 200 in the 15th over.

Thakur was smashed for another six and four before Arshdeep Singh finally ended Abhishek’s dream innings in the 17th over. But it was too little, too late, as Heinrich Klaasen (21) and Ishan Kishan (9) finished the chase comfortably.

Earlier, openers Priyansh Arya (36) and Prabhsimran Singh (42) provided a blazing 66-run start, but it was skipper Shreyas Iyer who anchored the innings with a whirlwind 82 off 36 balls, hitting six sixes and as many fours. He shared a 73-run stand off 40 balls with Nehal Wadhera (22).

Marcus Stoinis provided the final flourish, hammering Mohammed Shami (0/75) for four consecutive sixes in the last over as Punjab Kings posted a daunting total.

On a belter of a pitch, the PBKS openers came out all guns blazing, powering their side to a commanding 89/1 in the Powerplay.

Prabhsimran set the tone by hitting Mohammed Shami (0/75) for three boundaries, before Priyansh tore into Pat Cummins (0/40) with a six and two fours. The left-hander then smashed Shami for two successive sixes and a four, while Prabhsimran flicked another delivery for a maximum as Punjab raced to 50 in just three overs.

Harshal Patel (4/42) eventually broke the opening stand, outfoxing Priyansh with a slower delivery that was mistimed to Nitish Reddy.

Harshal could have had Prabhsimran too, but Abhishek Sharma dropped a difficult chance. The Kings ended the Powerplay on a high, with Iyer finishing it in style with a six.

SRH finally got some relief when Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga (2/45), making his IPL debut, dismissed Prabhsimran in the next over after the opener slapped a slower ball straight to Cummins.

However, Malinga was taken apart in his second over, with Iyer and Wadhera hitting him for a six each.

Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, who bowled two tight overs without conceding a boundary, was then launched for two sixes and a reverse-hit four by Iyer over long-off, showcasing the PBKS skipper’s form and flair.

Iyer completed his half-century with a sliced boundary off Shami, while Wadhera kept the scoreboard ticking with a fine-leg swipe.

PBKS lost two quick wickets as Malinga produced a yorker to dismiss Wadhera, and Harshal Patel trapped Shashank Singh (2) LBW after a successful DRS review, reducing the visitors to 168/4 in the 15th over.

Unfazed, Iyer continued the carnage, smashing Ansari over extra cover and punishing Malinga with three successive boundaries as PBKS crossed the 200-run mark in the 17th over.

Harshal came back strongly in the 18th over, removing Glenn Maxwell and Iyer within three balls to peg Punjab back.

Stoinis provided the final flourish, hammering a hapless Shami for four consecutive sixes in the last four balls of the innings, as PBKS finished with a towering total.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday suffered a humiliating eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as the MS Dhoni-led side, for the first time, lost three matches in a row at their hallowed home ground of Chepauk in their proud Indian Premier League history.

It was yet another dismal batting performance by the five-time champions, who were completely dismantled by a clinical KKR side, slumping to their fifth straight loss of the season.

The disappointing showing came in a match where the legendary Dhoni took charge of the team after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remainder of the IPL due to injury.

Dhoni managed just one run off four balls before being dismissed in the 16th over, having come in to bat at number nine.

Invited to bat, a completely disoriented CSK could manage only a paltry 103 for nine, their lowest total at Chepauk, as KKR dished out a clinical bowling show.

It was CSK’s third lowest total in the IPL and the lowest by any team in this edition so far.

Chasing a paltry 104 for a win, KKR cantered home in 10.1 overs with opener Sunil Narine bludgeoning his way to a 18-ball 44 studded with two fours and five sixes.

Captain Ajinkya Rahane also played his part with a solid 20 not out off 17 balls, while Quinton de Kock, the other opener, contributed 23. Rinku Singh also remained not out on 15 off 12 balls.

Narine greeted Khaleel Ahmed with a six in the first over itself before de Kock did the same to Anshul Kamboj as runs came pouring. De Kock then punished Ahmed with two sixes.

Narine did not spare former India spinner R Ashwin, hitting him for a six and a four in the fourth over.

De Kock fell in the fifth over but one-down Rahane did not give any respite to the CSK bowlers as KKR reached 71 for 1 after powerplay overs.

KKR needed just 33 runs after powerplay and they lost Narine in the eighth over but achieved the target without any fuss.

Rinku Singh finished the chase in style, hitting a six off Ravindra Jadeja in the 11th over. 

Earlier, Narine (3/13) grabbed three wickets, while Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy got two each after CSK were invited to bat. Nothing went right for CSK in their home ground as they could hit just eight boundaries and a six in the entire innings.

Shivam Dube top-scored with an unbeaten 31 off 29 balls, while Vijay Shankar made 29 after living a charmed life. Only two other CSK batters made runs in double-digit figures. 

CSK’s powerplay woes continued as they made 31 for the loss of two wickets, the second lowest by any team in six overs this season. It could have been much lower but for the 13 runs scored in the sixth over with back-to-back fours from Shankar off Chakaravarthy.

Moeen Ali removed Devon Conway (12) in the fourth over, while Rana got the wicket of Rachin Ravindra (4) in the fifth. The home side would have been three down during powerplay had Narine not dropped Shankar in the fifth over, failing to hold on to a sitter at mid-off.

Shankar’s luck finally ran out in the 10th over as he holed out to Moeen, leaving CSK at 61 for 3 at the halfway stage.

Wickets continued to tumble as the struggling Rahul Tripathi (22) was clean-bowled by Narine, Ravichandran Ashwin was out for one run from seven balls and Ravindra Jadeja (0) also lasted just two balls. The home side were 71 for 6 at that stage.

After Deepak Hooda (0) fell in the next over, Dhoni came out to bat with CSK at 72 for 7 in 14.2 overs.

The writing was on the wall for CSK and the Chepauk crowd fell silent when Dhoni was adjudged LBW off Narine. Dhoni opted for a review, seemingly indicating there was bat involved, but the decision stood.

More than four overs were left after Dhoni’s departure and CSK went past the 100-run mark, thanks mainly to Dube.