Mumbai dash Pune dreams

Rohit Sharma's men defend 129 to clinch one-run win and emerge three-time champions

In what should go down as one of the finest sporting comebacks, Mumbai Indians clinched a one-run win over Rising Pune Supergiant in a low-scoring thriller to annexe their third Indian Premier League title here on Sunday.

 Having mustered a seemingly inadequate total of 129 for eight after opting to bat first in the final, Rohit Sharma’s men defended their total with tigerish zeal to eke out a pulsating win. Pune, seemingly in control at one stage, slipped in the latter part of their chase and ended at 128 for six.

 Pune, in with a great chance after restricting Mumbai, went about their chase in a cool manner. Ajinkya Rahane (44, 38b, 5x4), reprieved on 16 in a total of 33, went on to forge a 54-run stand (57 balls) with Steven Smith (51, 50b, 2x4, 2x6) that took them closer to the target but a little of bit urgency from the duo, especially from the Pune skipper, wouldn’t have left them with the stiff task towards the back end of the innings on a pitch that was getting slower by the over.

 Smith asked MS Dhoni to walk in at the fall of Rahane instead of Manoj Tiwary. With a wealth of experience in dealing with such crunch situations, the former India skipper was the right man for the occasion but the right-hander disappointed his legion of fans with a 13-ball 10. But the overall size of the target was so insignificant that Pune were expected to scamper home even when the equation rose up to 20 off 8 balls, thanks to some outstanding death bowling by Mumbai pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga.

 Smith, having left it too late, hammered a six off the penultimate ball of the penultimate over by Bumrah and then collected two to bring the equation to 11 off the final over. Tiwary then swept Mitchell Johnson’s first ball for four and holed out at long-off off the next ball but it brought Smith back on strike. His slash off the third ball was pouched by Ambati Rayudu at deep square-leg and Pune could only manage five off the next two balls, triggering wild celebrations in the Mumbai camp. This was Mumbai’s first win over Pune in four matches, and the one that came at the most opportune time.        

 Mumbai openers Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel began cautiously against prolific paceman Jaydev Unadkat (2/19) and an impressive Washington Sundar who both bowled accurate lengths and hardly provided any room. Unadkat removed Parthiv with his most potent delivery – the off-cutter – in his second over. Two balls later, he scalped Simmons with a similar delivery when the batsman’s attempted flick ballooned back to the bowler.

Two wickets in four balls wasn’t the start Mumbai were looking for in their bid to end Pune’s stranglehold over them. At 16 for two in five overs, it was one of the slowest starts this season before Rohit Sharma produced an array of strokes to inject some life into the innings. Mumbai had gone without a boundary in the first 30 balls and Rohit ended the barren spell with a cover-driven four off Lockie Ferguson. The right-hander followed it up with three more in the same over to make his intentions clear.

 Just when things were beginning to look up for Mumbai, Rayudu took a chance against Unadkat and ran for a non-existent single to get run out. With the little momentum snapped, Mumbai collapsed in shocking manner. If not for Krunal Pandya (47, 38b, 3x4, 2x6), who with Johnson (13 n.o.), added 50 runs for the eighth wicket, Mumbai wouldn’t have been able to defend the lowest total in an IPL final by a side batting first.         

score board

MUMBAI INDIANS: Lendl Simmons c & b Unadkat 3 (8b), Parthiv Patel c Thakur b Unadkat 4 (6b), Ambati Rayudu (run out) 12 (15b, 1x4), Rohit Sharma c Thakur b Zampa 24 (22b, 4x4), Krunal Pandya c Rahane b Christian 47 (38b, 3x4, 2x6), Kieron Pollard c Tiwary b Zampa 7 (3b, 1x6), Hardik Pandya lbw Christian 10 (9b, 1x6), Karn Sharma (run out) 1 (5b), Mitchell Johnson (not out) 13 (14b, 1x6). Extras (B-1, LB-2, W-5) 8. Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 129.

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Parthiv), 2-8 (Simmons), 3-41 (Rayudu), 4-56 (Rohit), 5-65 (Pollard), 6-78 (Hardik), 7-79 (Karn), 8-129 (Krunal). Bowling: Jaydev Unadkat 4-0-19-2, Washington Sundar 4-0-13-0, Shardul Thakur 2-0-7-0 (w-1), Lockie Ferguson 2-0-21-0 (w-1), Adam Zampa 4-0-32-2 (w-1), Dan Christian 4-0-34-2 (w-2).

RISING PUNE SUPERGIANT: Ajinkya Rahane c Pollard b Johnson 44 (38b, 5x4), Rahul Tripathi lbw Bumrah 3 (8b), Steven Smith c Rayudu b Johnson 51 (50b, 2x4, 2x6), MS Dhoni c Parthiv b Bumrah 10 (13b, 1x4), Manoj Tiwary c Pollard b Johnson 7 (8b, 1x4), Dan Christian (run out) 4 (2b), Washington Sundar (not out) 0 (1b). Extras (B-1, LB-5, W-3) 9. Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 128.

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Tripathi), 2-71 (Rahane), 3-98 (Dhoni), 4-123 (Tiwary), 5-123 (Smith), 6-128 (Christian).   

Bowling: Krunal Pandya 4-0-31-0, Mitchell Johnson 4-0-26-3, Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-26-2, Lasith Malinga 4-0-21-0 (w-1), Karn Sharma 4-0-18-0 (w-2).