Photographs: BCCI
Mumbai Indians staged a late fightback through their bowlers to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 19 runs and register their second victory in IPL-7, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.
Chasing 188 runs for victory, RCB were off to a rollicking start as their openers put on a 53-run stand.
Parthiv Patel was the first to depart, but Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle then added 41 runs, before the West Indian was castled by Harbhajan Singh.
RCB lost their way from there as Mumbai picked wickets at regular intervals to restrict the visitors to 168-8.
Jaspreet Bumrah was the pick of the Mumbai bowlers with figures of 2-22 from his four overs.
Harbhajan and Lasith Malinga too picked up two wickets each.
Earlier, Mumbai benefited from a 97-run stand between Kieron Pollard and Rohit Sharma to put up a stiff target.
- Please click NEXT for more...
Mumbai off to a sedate start
Image: Harshal Patel celebrates after dismissing Ben DunkPhotographs: BCCI
After being invited to bat first, Mumbai Indians were off to a sedate start.
Opener Ben Dunk stroked a couple of boundaries upfront, before Harshal Patel dismissed him.
The Australian was caught by Yuvraj Singh at mid-off in Patel's first over.
Looking to hit one over the infield, he chipped one without much conviction and gave an easy catch.
CM Gautam, meanwhile, played some expansive strokes, which included a six over square leg off Patel in the same over.
- Please click NEXT for more...
Quick strikes peg Mumbai back
Image: Ashoke Dinda castles Ambati RayuduPhotographs: BCCI
Dinda, who had been expensive early on, did manage to redeem himself temporarily as he castled Ambati Rayudu for 9.
Rayudu looked to play one straight, but left a gap between bat and pad and was bowled through the gates.
Gautam, who was looking impressive, departed soon after, playing a poor shot.
He chased one that was angled across, only to edge it to Parthiv Patel for 30.
All-rounder Corey Anderson too didn’t last long, throwing his wicket away to young Chahal.
Anderson, who smoked Chahal out of the park, tried to repeat the stroke, only to hit it straight down Virat Kohli’s stroke.
Please click NEXT for more...
Pollard, Rohit power Mumbai to competitive score
Image: Rohit Sharma reacts after completing his half-centuryPhotographs: BCCI
Kieron Pollard and Rohit Sharma the joined hands and stitched a crucial 97-run stand, which revived Mumbai's innings.
Pollard hit the boundary boards, courtesy of a misfield from Dinda. He then slapped Yuvraj over long-on to ensure that a boundary was scored every second over.
Rohit, meanwhile, smoked Dinda for a maximum and then hit Harshal Patel for a boundary.
But Mumbai really got going in the 19th over, when Rohit tore into Varun Aaron.
Rohit first had a wild swing at Aaron’s first delivery, which crossed the line over third man.
He reached his half-century with anther massive six – third off the over – with another top-edge as Aaron’s over produced 24 runs.
Pollard was finally run-out in the final over in search of some quick runs, for 43.
Please click NEXT for more...
RCB off to a positive start in the chase
Image: Parthiv Patel and Chris GaylePhotographs: BCCI
Royal Challengers were off to a positive start in the chase of 188.
Parthiv Patel was the first to hit the boundary boards with cracking drive through extra cover off Pawan Suyal.
Suyal then bore the brunt of Chris Gayle.
The bowler tried to pitch one up but Gayle’s bat saw the ball disappear over long-off for a maximum.
Gayle then crashed one through mid-wicket for a boundary. Long-off seem to be Gayle favourite area as he peppered the ball there once again.
Suyal tried a Yorker, but it ended up as a low full toss and Gayle obliged by sending it to the midwicket boundary. 24 runs came from the over.
Please click NEXT for more...
Bhajji removes openers
Image: Harbhajan Singh reacts after dismissing Chris GaylePhotographs: BCCI
Harbhajan Singh was brought in the fourth over. His first over was economical, but he followed it up with the wicket of Parthiv Patel, for 26.
The RCB wicketkeeper went for a slog, only to miss it and have his stumps shattered.
Gayle did make merry in the same over, hitting Harbhajan for a six and boundary, but off-spinner had the last laugh when he castled the West Indian for 38.
Gayle, like his partner, went in for a wild slog, missed it completely and the ball crashed on to his off-stump.
- Please click NEXT for more...
Mumbai fightback with quick strikes
Image: Jasprit Bumrah castles AB de VilliersPhotographs: BCCI
Mumbai then got their foot in the door and grabbed the opportunity.
After removing the openers, Jasprit Bumrah provided the ideal delivery to dismiss the dangerous AB de Villiers for 9.
Bumrah was helped by de Villiers himself, the batsman shuffling across and trying for a sweep, only to have his leg stump knocked out.
Pawan Suyal, who was taken to the cleaners, removed Virat Kohli in the next over itself.
Kohli tried to smoke one out of the ground and was caught at long-off by Anderson.
Things went from bad to worse as Yuvraj Singh was brilliantly run-out by Pollard for 6.
RCB never recovered from those jolts and succumbed to pressure; they ended up 19 runs short of the target.
Comment
article