Mumbai: If T20 cricket is about wild slogging and hitting, the final league match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals provided a license to the batters to go hard at the bowlers.
On a night that witnessed frenzied hitting, the home team chased down the challenging target of 190 in the required 14.4 overs in a historic chase. The dramatic victory helped them seal a playoff berth against Chennai Super Kings at the Brabourne Stadium here on Wednesday.
Mumbai’s four foreign imports went hammer and tongs but it was Kiwi Corey Anderson, who starred in the chase slamming an unbeaten 95 off 44 balls. He hit nine boundaries and six sixes to keep Mumbai on course for victory after Michael Hussey 22 (11b), Rohit Sharma 16 (11b) and Ambati Rayudu 30 (10b) had kept them in the hunt.
Needing 41 from 19 balls, Mumbai managed to bring the equation to 15 off six balls and needed two runs from one ball bowled by James Faulkner. The scores were tied when Rayudu picked up a single but was run-out on the second ball.
Mumbai were given another shot at history when needed four off the next ball and Aditya Tare slammed a six off a fulltoss to spark wild celebration across the stadium. The defeat even upset Royal’s mentor Rahul Dravid, who threw his gloves in disgust.
Earlier, the match witnessed wore a contrasting look as Mumbai, who led in the first 10 overs — restricting Rajasthan to only 59/1 — struggled to find answers in the next 10 overs.
Scoreboard
Rajasthan Royals: S. Watson c Pollard b Harbhajan 8, S. Samson c Harbhajan b Gopal 74, K. Nair c Simmons b Bumrah 50, B. Hodge (not out) 29, J. Faulkner c Anderson b Pollard 23, K. Cooper (not out) 0. Extras (lb2, w3) 5. Total (for four wickets in 20 overs) 189.
Fall of Wicket: 1-34, 2-134, 3-136, 4-185.
Bowling: Anderson 2-0-14-0, Bumrah 4-1-30-1, Ojha 4-0-31-0, Harbhajan 4-0-43-1, Gopal 3-0-36-1, Pollard 3-0-33-1.
Mumbai Indians: L. Simmons c Faulkner b Kulkarni 12, M. Hussey b Cooper 22, C. Anderson (not out) 95, K. Pollard c Hodge b Cooper 7, R. Sharma c Nair b Kulkarni 16, A. Rayudu run out 30, A. Tare (not out) 6; Extras (lb- 3, w-4) 7; Total (for 5 wickets in 14.4 overs) 195.
Fall of Wicket: 1-19, 2-53, 3-61, 4-108, 5-189.
Bowling: Faulkner 3.4-0-54-0, Kulkarni 3-0-42-2, Watson 2-0-33-0, Cooper 4-0-38-2, Tambe 2-0-25-0.
