Images from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Hardik Pandya was characteristically quirky as well as breathtaking and the highlight was the helicopter shot in front of its synonym, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as Mumbai Indians humbled Chennai Super Kings by 37 runs in the Indian Premier League, in Mumbai, on Wednesday.
Put into bat on a track that offered good bounce, Mumbai creamed 29 runs in final over with Hardik doing the bulk of scoring, his eight-ball 25-run blitzkrieg bringing the high-flying visitors to earth.
Struggling at 50/3 at one point, Mumbai raked in 45 runs in the last two overs to post 170 for five and then halted their rivals at 133 for eight to post their second win in four games. This was Super Kings' maiden defeat in IPL-12 after they had started off with three wins in a row, while Mumbai have made it two wins from four games.
MI were indebted to a fine knock of 59 in 43 balls by Suryakumar Yadav, who hit eight fours and a six while putting on a half-century stand with Krunal Pandya (42 from 32 balls).
Towards the end, Hardik and Kieron Pollard (17 from 7 balls) hit a few boundaries to boost the total, with the former striking three sixes and one four and the latter hitting twice over the ropes.
The title holders made a poor start in the run chase by losing their top three batsmen – Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina within the powerplay, with just 33 on the board.
Watson and Raina were both caught by big West Indian Kieron Pollard. Infact, Pollard took a spectacular one-handed leaping catch just inside the boundary line to send back Raina for 16 and give MI a much-needed lift.
Kedar Jadhav, who looked good in making 58 from 54 balls, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (12), repaired the damage with a stand of 54.
Hardik jolted CSK with the key wicket of captain Dhoni, who was caught at square leg and then sent back Ravindra Jadeja, too, in the same over to reduce Chennai to 89 for five in the 15th over.
The dismissals of Jadhav, who struck eigh fours and a six, and Dwayne Bravo in quick succession ended the slim hopes of the visitors.
For Mumbai Indians, Malinga and Hardik bagged three wickets apiece while Behrendorff secured two.
Earlier, riding on Hardik Pandya's blitzkrieg, Mumbai Indians creamed 29 runs in the final over to post 170 for five. Sent in to bat, Suryakumar Yadav compiled a half century to lay the foundation for Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
Before Hardik's eight-ball 25 and Kieron Pollard's seven-ball 17, Yadav stroked his way to 59 off 43 balls against the CSK attack that kept the Mumbai batsmen on a leash till the last few overs.
Mumbai had a slow start, having lost Quinton de Kock in the third over with only eight runs on the board.
The arrival of Yadav to the crease quickened the run-rate as he played handsome drives in front of the wicket on both sides off Deepak Chahar, who he hit for three fours in one over, and Shardul Thakur, who gave away three boundaries in his second over.
Thanks to the stroke-filled start by Yadav, Mumbai were 40 at the end of the powerplay. But then they lost skipper Rohit Sharma off the first ball of the eighth over, caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja for 13.
Yuvraj Singh, too, flopped, caught just inside the boundary line to leave Mumbai at 50 for three in the ninth over.
Yadav and Krunal revived the sagging innings with a stand of 62 off 49 balls for the fourth wicket.
The latter struck two successive fours off Mohit Sharma to push up the run rate but was lucky to be let off at 17 off Dwayne Bravo in the 13th over.
Krunal successfully reviewed a leg before decision given against him off Shardul Thakur after adding a run to his score.
Emboldened, the left-hander lofted Tahir over long-on for the first six of the innings, in the 15th over, at the end of which Mumbai were 93 for three.
Krunal was finally caught at long-off, miscuing while trying to hit Mohit for the third four in the 17th over. He struck five fours and a six in his 32-ball knock.
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