Young Sanju Samson hit a quickfire half-century to help Rajasthan Royals register a convincing seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Champions League T20 in Jaipur, on Saturday.
Chasing 143 for victory, Rajasthan recovered from the early loss of captain Rahul Dravid courtesy of Samson's splendid knock of 54 to win with two deliveries to spare.
Ajinkya Rahane chipped in with a fluent 33 from 31 balls adding 74 runs for the second wicket with Samson to put Rajasthan back on track after the early wicket.
Shane Watson and Stuart Binny hit 27 each with the latter ending the match in some style with a huge six.
Earlier, IPL champions Mumbai Indians recovered from a slow start to post a fighting 142 for seven against Rajasthan Royals in their Champions League Twenty20 opening tie, in Jaipur on Saturday.
Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma (44) joined forces with the hard-hitting Kieron Pollard (42) to push Mumbai’s total past the 140 mark.
Paceman Vikramjit Malik (3/24) did well for the hosts with a three-wicket haul.
Mumbai Indians were struggling at 43 for four at one stage but Sharma stabilised the innings with his sensible batting while Pollard hit some lusty blows towards the end to up the run-rate.
Sharma's 44 came off 37 balls with three fours and two sixes while Pollard took 36 balls for his 42 that was laced with six boundaries including two sixes.
Rajasthan paceman had things under control under helpful conditions as it rained before the match but Mumbai scored 55 runs in the last five overs to make it a good contest.
Dwayne Smith (9) had began fantastically with an elegant cover drive off the first ball of the match but was trapped by Malik. The short ball kept low and Smith was caught plumb.
Tendulkar ensured that Mumbai’s had steady batting despite Smith’s dismissal.
The Mumbai legend punched two boundaries off James Faulkner and one off Shane Watson but the pitch had something for the bowlers.
Things changed quickly as Malik bowled Dinesh Karthik (2) and Tendulkar (15) was caught behind off Stuart Binny when he tried to drive a good length ball.
As if that was not enough, new batsman Ambati Rayudu (3) was run out after a mix up with skipper Sharma.
Sharma kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos in Pollard’s company. Mumbai went on to raise their fifty in the last ball of the 10th over when their skipper lofted Binny for a four over point.
Sharma played some beautiful flicks and pulls and hit two sixes off Watson -- first a well-timed scoop and second a ferocious pull on full toss -- but the Australian succeeded in removing the danger man.
Pollard then batted splendidly for Mumbai before becoming Malik’s the third victim, caught by Sanju Samson in the last over.
Photograph: BCCI
