Mumbai Indians showcased their all-round abilities as they defeated Deccan Chargers by 37 runs at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium tonight in an IPL-4 match as the Hyderabad-based franchise extended their losing run at home. While this was the Chargers' fourth loss in six matches, Mumbai Indians strengthened their position at the top of the table with 10 points.
Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds's unbroken 102-run partnership in 65 balls for the fifth wicket helped Mumbai Indians score 172 for 4 after a mini-collapse saw them slip to 70 for 4 from 70 for 1 in the space of six balls. Sharma and Symonds, who were also team mates at the Chargers, then consolidated the innings before breaking loose in the last five overs.
Sharma and Symonds continued their good form in IPL-4 as they initially focussed on rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking over even as they found the boundaries occasionally to get the faltering Mumbai Indians innings back on track. Sharma got the innings into overdrive when he hit two boundaries off Ishant Sharma and one off Dale Steyn after the second timeout before Symonds also joined the party. The burly former Australian all-rounder, who was lucky that his sliced shot off Amit Mishra's last delivery fell in no man's land, hit Steyn for two boundaries and a straight six in the 19th over. Sharma then took 24 runs off the last over of the innings bowled by Dan Christian (0-48) as he brought up his second half-century on the trot with a massive six over midwicket. The six with which Sharma brought up his half-century was one of the three he hit apart from a boundary off the last delivery of the innings in that Christian over as Mumbai Indians scored 70 runs in the last five overs. Sharma remained unbeaten on 56 (34 balls, five boundaries and three sixes), while Symonds hit four boundaries and a six in his 33-ball 44*.
Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 38 today and played the match despite the death of his spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba earlier in the day, and Davy Jacobs got their team off to a flier after they were asked to bat by Chargers' captain Kumar Sangakkara. Jacobs, who replaced James Franklin, hit five boundaries, including a reverse paddle and a six, was the first to be dismissed when he was well caught by Pragyan Ojha at mid on off Ishant (1-29) after he and Tendulkar had added 47 runs for the first wicket. Tendulkar (28), who has reclaimed the Orange Cap, and Rayudu then added 23 runs for the second wicket before Mishra dismissed both the batsmen in his second over and then Ojha had Kieron Pollard, promoted to No. 4, caught for a first-ball duck by Sangakkara as Mumbai Indians slipped to 70 for 4 in 9.1 overs before Sharma and Symonds rescued the visitors with their unbroken partnership. Mishra, who took 2-14 was the pick of the Chargers' bowlers; while Ojha (1-29) showed signs of coming back to his best.
The Chargers were never in the run chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals as Mumbai Indians' bowlers led by Lasith Malinga were backed up by some excellent fielding that saw them effect three run outs to add to the home team's woes. A good piece of fielding from Pollard at point gave Mumbai Indians their first breakthrough as Sunny Sohal was caught short of his ground and a direct hit from Malinga at mid off got rid of the struggling Cameron White. Malinga (3-9) also continued his good form with the ball in the tournament as he clean bowled Shikhar Dhawan with a trademark yorker before dismissing Sangakkara with a low full toss that crashed into the middle stump and then caught Ravi Teja off his own bowling with a slower ball. Bharat Chipli, who has had a decent run with the bat in IPL-4, failed in this match when he cut a short delivery from Pollard to R Sathish at backward point.
The highest partnership in the Chargers' run chase was 27 for the second wicket between Dhawan (25) and Sangakkara, who hit three boundaries in his 28-ball 34; and 27 for the eighth wicket between Mishra (25*) and Steyn, which just isn't good enough while chasing 173. Christian hit a six in his 18-ball 21 but he was beautifully stumped by Jacobs off Munaf Patel and that was the end of the Chargers' faint hopes as they could only score 135 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Chargers next play Kochi Tuskers Kerala in an away match on April 27, while Rajasthan Royals host Mumbai Indians in Jaipur on April 29.
Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds's unbroken 102-run partnership in 65 balls for the fifth wicket helped Mumbai Indians score 172 for 4 after a mini-collapse saw them slip to 70 for 4 from 70 for 1 in the space of six balls. Sharma and Symonds, who were also team mates at the Chargers, then consolidated the innings before breaking loose in the last five overs.
Sharma and Symonds continued their good form in IPL-4 as they initially focussed on rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking over even as they found the boundaries occasionally to get the faltering Mumbai Indians innings back on track. Sharma got the innings into overdrive when he hit two boundaries off Ishant Sharma and one off Dale Steyn after the second timeout before Symonds also joined the party. The burly former Australian all-rounder, who was lucky that his sliced shot off Amit Mishra's last delivery fell in no man's land, hit Steyn for two boundaries and a straight six in the 19th over. Sharma then took 24 runs off the last over of the innings bowled by Dan Christian (0-48) as he brought up his second half-century on the trot with a massive six over midwicket. The six with which Sharma brought up his half-century was one of the three he hit apart from a boundary off the last delivery of the innings in that Christian over as Mumbai Indians scored 70 runs in the last five overs. Sharma remained unbeaten on 56 (34 balls, five boundaries and three sixes), while Symonds hit four boundaries and a six in his 33-ball 44*.
Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 38 today and played the match despite the death of his spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba earlier in the day, and Davy Jacobs got their team off to a flier after they were asked to bat by Chargers' captain Kumar Sangakkara. Jacobs, who replaced James Franklin, hit five boundaries, including a reverse paddle and a six, was the first to be dismissed when he was well caught by Pragyan Ojha at mid on off Ishant (1-29) after he and Tendulkar had added 47 runs for the first wicket. Tendulkar (28), who has reclaimed the Orange Cap, and Rayudu then added 23 runs for the second wicket before Mishra dismissed both the batsmen in his second over and then Ojha had Kieron Pollard, promoted to No. 4, caught for a first-ball duck by Sangakkara as Mumbai Indians slipped to 70 for 4 in 9.1 overs before Sharma and Symonds rescued the visitors with their unbroken partnership. Mishra, who took 2-14 was the pick of the Chargers' bowlers; while Ojha (1-29) showed signs of coming back to his best.
The Chargers were never in the run chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals as Mumbai Indians' bowlers led by Lasith Malinga were backed up by some excellent fielding that saw them effect three run outs to add to the home team's woes. A good piece of fielding from Pollard at point gave Mumbai Indians their first breakthrough as Sunny Sohal was caught short of his ground and a direct hit from Malinga at mid off got rid of the struggling Cameron White. Malinga (3-9) also continued his good form with the ball in the tournament as he clean bowled Shikhar Dhawan with a trademark yorker before dismissing Sangakkara with a low full toss that crashed into the middle stump and then caught Ravi Teja off his own bowling with a slower ball. Bharat Chipli, who has had a decent run with the bat in IPL-4, failed in this match when he cut a short delivery from Pollard to R Sathish at backward point.
The highest partnership in the Chargers' run chase was 27 for the second wicket between Dhawan (25) and Sangakkara, who hit three boundaries in his 28-ball 34; and 27 for the eighth wicket between Mishra (25*) and Steyn, which just isn't good enough while chasing 173. Christian hit a six in his 18-ball 21 but he was beautifully stumped by Jacobs off Munaf Patel and that was the end of the Chargers' faint hopes as they could only score 135 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Chargers next play Kochi Tuskers Kerala in an away match on April 27, while Rajasthan Royals host Mumbai Indians in Jaipur on April 29.
No comments:
Post a Comment