There was no stand out performance from the Challengers. Instead, they found multiple heroes rising to the occasion as the visitors put the trouncing in their opening match behind by registering a five-wicket win in their second Indian Premier League match here on Sunday. 
  
There was a definite shift in Challengers' approach to the game. Perhaps, the absence of the attendant home pressure had done them a world of good. There was urgency in the field and bowling looked positively aggressive, though Zaheer Khan knocking off Dominic Thornley with a nasty bouncer may not have been an intended one. The Australian, who suffered a deep cut on his right eye brow, received as many as 15 stitches at a local hospital.

Having drawn the blood early with a spirited bowling show, Challengers put up an inspired batting performance to come out on top after the end of a thrilling encounter in front of a partisan crowd. The hosts, electing to bat first, put on a competitive 165 for six in 20 overs, mainly on the strength of Robin Uthappa (48 off 38) and some lusty hitting by opener Sanath Jayasuriya and Shaun Pollock towards the end.   
Desired start
The Challengers' start got off to a desired start with Rahul Dravid-Shivnarine Chanderpaul combine adding a brisk 37. Building on the beginning, the Bangalore batsmen followed it up with a series of useful partnerships that kept them in hunt throughout their chase. The decisive association came between the South African pair -- Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher, who raised 55 runs in 31 balls for the fifth wicket, to effectively tilt the balance in favour of the visitors. Boucher (39) was declared the man of the match.

The Challengers, who went in with three changes in their side from the previous match, saw change in their fortune too with two of the three reinforcements playing a crucial role in their memorable win. West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who came in place of Wasim Jaffer, provided the right impetus at the top of the order with a quick cameo besides coming out with some great stops while fielding. Kiwi Ross Taylor, a surprise omission in the first match, proved just why he is rated such a dangerous player in this form of the game. Like Chanderpaul, his stint too in the middle was short, but severe till it lasted.  

Dravid looked not just refreshingly proactive on the field, but played a crucial role with the bat as well, playing a calculated innings at the top of the order. He made some imaginative bowling changes and got the desired results. But at times the changes seemed too many and too frequent. The 35-year-old brought his seven bowlers on 14 different occasions. One couldn't understand his confidence on Kallis, who conceded 43 runs in his three overs spread over three spells. He was ineffective and the pressure created by B Akhil and left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi, was nullified by the South African's waywardness.  
   
Zaheer was the best bowler on scene for the Challengers on the day. The left-arm paceman, besides getting two wickets, effected the run out of dangerous Jayasuriya and ensured the early departure of Thornley. Joshi and Akhil tied down the Mumbai batsmen with their clever variations. It was a pity that between them they sent down three overs less than their full quota. In the final analysis, however, the tactical error didn't prove too costly for Dravid.

SCORE BOARD

MUMBAI INDIANS: Ronchi c Kohli b Zaheer 8 (10b, 2x4); Jayasuriya (run out) 29 (16b, 5x4, 1x6); Thornley (retd hurt) 0 (5b); Uthappa St Boucher b Akhil 48 (38b, 5x4, 1x6); Pinal c Kohli b Akhil 19 (23b, 2x4); Nayar c Zaheer b Praveen 20 (14b, 1x4, 1x6); Pollock b Zaheer 28 (12b, 3x4, 2x6); Harbhajan (not out) 2 (2b). Extras (B-2, LB-6, W-3) 11; Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 165.
Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Ronchi), 2-46 (Jayasuriya), 3-97 (Pinal), 4-128 (Uthappa), 5-152 (Nayar), 6-165 (Pollock).  
Bowling: Praveen Kumar 4-0-29-1 (w-1), Zaheer Khan 4-0-17-2, Jacques Kallis 3-0-43-0 (w-2), Vinay Kumar 4-0-41-0, B Akhil 3-0-17-2, Sunil Joshi 2-0-10-0.
Scoring pattern: after 5 overs: 41/1; 10: 74/2; 15: 102/3; End of innings: 165/6 (20 overs). Runs during power play (1-6): 46/2.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS: Chanderpaul c Nayar b Kulkarni 16 (11b, 3x4); Dravid c & b Harbhajan 32 (33b, 4x4); Taylor c Nayar b Jayasuriya 23 (12b, 1x4, 2x6); Kallis c Nayar b Harbhajan 25 (24b, 1x6); Kohli c Ronchi b Nehra 23 (14b, 3x4, 1x6); Boucher (not out) 39 (19b, 4x4, 2x6); Akhil (not out) 3 (5b). Extras (W-5) 5; Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 166.
Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Chanderpaul), 2-68 (Dravid), 3-76 (Taylor), 4-106 (Kohli), 5-161 (Kallis). 
Bowling: Ashish Nehra 4-0-45-1 (w-2), Shaun Pollock 4-0-17-0, Dhawal Kulkarni 2.4-0-19-1 (w-2), Jayasuriya 4-0-39-1, Harbhajan 4-0-39-1 (w-1), Nayar 1-0-10-0.
Scoring pattern: after 5 overs: 37/1; 10: 76/3; 15: 118/4; End of innings: 166/5 (19.4 overs).
Runs during power play (1-6): 40/1.