Harbhajan scripts MI victory
Mumbai Indians trounce Deccan Chargers by 41 runs to stay on top of the table
Harbhajan Singh cracked a stunning 18-ball unbeaten 49 and then grabbed three wickets as Mumbai Indians crushed Deccan Chargers by 41 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday night.
Harbhajan turned the game around for MI with a spectacular innings laced with eight fours and two sixes as he single-handedly took them from 119 for seven to 172 for seven after the home side were sent into bat and captain Sachin Tendulkar (43-ball 55) had held the innings together with his fourth IPL III half-century.
The fiesty off-spinner, who opened bowling for the home side, then took three wickets — including that of dangerous Adam Gilchrist — for 31 runs from his four overs as Deccan Chargers were all out for 131 in 17.4 overs in chase of 173.
Harbhajan got superb support from pacers Lasith Malinga, who took three for 12 from his 3.4 overs, and Zaheer Khan who returned with figures of 3/21 from his three overs as Indians put up a brilliant bowling effort to notch up a comprehensive victory despite the dew playing a part, though small, at the DY Patil Stadium at Navi Mumbai.
For the defending champions Deccan Chargers, Rohit Sharma was the only batsman to offer resistance to the Indians bowlers, top-scoring with a 28-ball 45 which was studded with three fours and two sixes. Herschelle Gibbs contributed a 16-ball 27 which had three fours and two sixes in it.
With Sunday’s win, third on the trot and their fifth in the tournament from six matches, Mumbai Indians are on top of the league standings with 10 points.
It was also a splendid revenge for MI for the massive 10-wicket defeat suffered at the hands of Chargers two years ago at this ground in IPL’s inaugural season.
For Deccan Chargers, this loss was their third in six matches and have six points to their kitty. Chargers began their run-chase on a disastrous note by losing skipper Adam Gilchrist to the second ball and to an inspired piece of captaincy by Tendulkar.
Harbhajan was asked to bowl the first over and the off-spinner got rid of the dangerous Gilchrist to a slip catch by Tendulkar.
Gibbs threatened to take the bowling by the scruff for a brief while when he struck forcefully but he was sent back for 27 by Zaheer Khan after he carted the India pace spearhead for successive sixes in the fifth over.
Malinga struck two big blows in five balls to get rid off Monish Mishra and another danger man Andrew Symonds which put MI right on top and the Chargers struggling at 50 for four at the end of the Power Play.
Harbhajan came back into the attack for his second spell and sent back T Suman with a high full-toss that was tapped back to him by the batsman to break the fifth-wicket stand between him and Rohit Sharma. He then dismissed Jaskaran Singh to finish his stint on a high.
Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar continued his sublime form with his fourth half-century, and seventh overall, to hold the Mumbai Indians innings together before Harbhajan’s quickfire 18-ball unbeaten 49 took the total to 172 for 7.
SCORE BOARD
MUMBAI INDIANS: Shikhar Dhawan lbw Jaskaran 8, Sachin Tendulkar c Gilchrist b RP Singh 55, Dwayne Bravo c Symonds b RP Singh 23, Saurabh Tiwary c Gilchrist b RP Singh 4, Ambati Rayudu st Gilchrist b Ojha 6, R Satish c Suman b Ojha 3, Keiron Pollard c Suman b Jaskaran 1, Ryan McLaren (not out) 13, Harbhajan Singh (not out) 49. Extras (B-1, W-5, NB-4) 10. Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs) 172.
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-64, 3-68, 4-84, 5-92, 6-93, 7-119.
Bowling: Kemar Roach 4-0-32-0, Jaskaran Singh 3-0-30-2, Pragyan Ojha 4-0-24-2, RP Singh 4-0-31-3, Symonds 4-0-40-0, Rohit Sharma 1-0-14-0.
DECCAN CHARGERS: Adam Gilchrist c Tendulkar b Harbhajan 0, Monish Mishra c McLaren b Malinga 13, Herschelle Gibbs c Pollard b Zaheer 27, Andrew Symonds c Bravo b Malinga 1, Rohit Sharma b Zaheer 45, Tirumalasetti Suman c & b Harbhajan 15, Y Venugopala Rao c McLaren b Pollard 7, Jaskaran Singh c sub (JP Duminy) b Harbhajan 1, Kemar Roach b Zaheer 10, RP Singh b Malinga 1, Pragyan Ojha (not out) 0. Extras (B-2, LB-5, W-4) 11. Total (all out, 17.4 overs) 131.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-47, 3-49, 4-50, 5-81, 6-100, 7-116, 8-130, 9-131.
Bowling: Harbhajan Singh 4-0-31-3, Ryan McLaren 3-0-24-0, Zaheer Khan 3-0-21-3, Lasith Malinga 3.4-0-12-3, Dwayne Bravo 2-0-16-0, Keiron Pollard 2-0-20-1.
Points table
Team Mat Won Lost Pts Net RR
Mumbai Indians 6 5 1 10 +1.31
Royal Challengers 6 4 2 8 +0.96
Rajasthan Royals 7 4 3 8 +0.11
Deccan Chargers 6 3 6 6 -0.36
Knight Riders 6 3 3 6 -0.38
Delhi Daredevils 6 3 3 6 -0.62
Super Kings 7 2 5 4 -0.19
Kings XI Punjab 6 1 5 2 -0.77
