IPL Results 2019: Best Run-Scorers, Latest Table and Schedule
Apr 10, 2019
Mumbai Indians' batsman Ambati Rayudu plays a shot during the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders at The Wankhede Cricket Stadium in Mumbai on April 28, 2016.���� / AFP / PUNIT PARANJPE / ----IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE----- / GETTYOUT (Photo credit should read PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images)
Mumbai Indians earned a dramatic three-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday that went down to the last ball at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Lokesh Rahul's unbeaten century and Chris Gayle, who scored 63, helped the visitors set a target of 197 for four.
However, thanks largely to a sensational 83 from Kieron Pollard in just 31 balls, the home side successfully chased down the total at 198 for seven.
Meanwhile, Gayle's knock of 63 came from 36 balls, including seven sixes.
His partnership with Rahul formed the bedrock of their 197 total, and the pair had reached 116 before Gayle was caught by Krunal Pandya in the 13th over.
Mumbai's task was difficult enough without coming up against a superb bowling performance from Mohammed Shami in the second innings.
The bowler grabbed three wickets—dismissing Siddhesh Lad, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya—in four overs, giving up just 21 runs in the process.
However, Pollard led his side into contention with a superb performance that included 10 sixes.
Punjab finally stopped him in the final over when Ankit Rajpoot made a vital intervention:
It wasn't enough, however, as Alzarri Joseph and Rahul Chahar got the hosts over the line.
IPL 2019: Top Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers After Indians vs. Super Kings T20
Apr 3, 2019
Mumbai Indians batsman/bowler Kieron Pollard (R) prepares to play a shot as Chennal Super Kings wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) watches on October 20, 2012 during a Group B Champions League T20 (CLT20) match at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images)
The Chennai Super Kings' winning start to the season came to an end after they lost at Mumbai Indians by 37 runs on Wednesday and dropped from the top of the 2019 Indian Premier League table.
Mumbai's middle order came to their rescue after the team opened 103-3, rallying to finish on 170-5 and giving themselves a fighting chance at their second victory of the campaign. Suryakumar Yadav (59) and Krunal Pandya (42) combined for 101 runs between them, while younger brother Hardik Pandya contributed 25 off eight balls.
The younger Pandya sibling then played his hand in restricting Chennai and matched masterful Lasith Malinga in bowling out three of their batsmen, while Australian Jason Behrendorff took two wickets at Wankhede Stadium.
None of those featuring on Wednesday come close to matching the running total of Sunrisers Hyderabad star David Warner, who has 254 runs to his name—56 more than any other player. Yuzvendra Chahal of Royal Challengers Bangalore is the league's wicket leader with eight so far.
Wednesday's hosts also had special reason to celebrate their latest IPL victory:
Mumbai appear to have unearthed some mental hold over Chennai after summoning the strength to upset the top team in India and clinch their first home win of the season in the process.
The Pandya brothers were a key component in tightening their grip in this rivalry over recent years, as were Kieron Pollard and Yadav.
Krunal Pandya was called on to bat in the ninth over and impressed with a crucial score of 42 runs, without which Mumbai would have lost the match. He praised the team for their response to a slow start, piling praise on younger brother Hardik (25) and Pollard (17), who ended on the crease, per ESPN Cricinfo:
"Good total from where we were. Ending up around 170 is a good score on this pitch. It's slightly sticky and the ball is not coming on to the bat. Surya and I anchored the innings and in the end it was something special from Pollard and Hardik.
"It was difficult initially, the ball was swinging and seaming as well. But you have to deal with that as a player. Impressed with the way Hardik is preparing, but the way he's batting is not new to me. I've seen him hitting it like this for the past many years."
Wednesday's display was the elder Pandya's highest-scoring performance of the season so far. His brother Hardik, meanwhile, quadrupled his wicket tally for the campaign in one evening and was named man of the match:
Hardik Pandya is adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant innings of 25* off 8 deliveries and bowling figures of 3/20 👏👏#VIVOIPL#MIvCSKpic.twitter.com/doSW8t1l5t
The Super Kings struggled to take wickets—none of their bowlers got more than one—but looked content to let the Indians run themselves down. They had 103 runs at the end of the 16th over but came upon a lethal patch of form to finish, per Cricbuzz:
Deepak Chahar to Suryakumar Yadav - 4⃣4⃣4⃣. Six boundaries scored in the last two overs and all the pressure created by the CSK's new ball bowlers has been released as Mumbai have broken the shackles -- 39/1 (5) https://t.co/apdCVpqAnY#MIvCSK#IPL2019
The guests looked stifled in their innings and hit only four sixes, with Mumbai's bowlers carrying on the momentum of their later batsmen and refusing to give up big scores.
Pollard also contributed an early catch-of-the-season contender to take Chennai veteran Suresh Raina out of the running, per cricket analyst Sarang Bhalerao:
Kieron Pollard at Wankhede Stadium in IPL
2013: Took a blinder of Shaun Marsh at long-on
2019: Takes an amazing catch of Suresh Raina at sweeper cover
In 2013, Pollard dropped three catches off three successive balls of Michael Hussey. #MIvCSK
Mumbai moved up to sixth in the standings with their second win of the season, while Chennai drop to second and now sit behind Kings XI Punjab on run rate.
IPL 2018: Top Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers After Hyderabad vs. Mumbai T20
Apr 12, 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer Shikhar Dhawan plays a shot during the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on April 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
Shikhar Dhawan is the 2018 Indian Premier League's new leading run-scorer after hitting 45 off 28 as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Mumbai Indians by one wicket in a thriller on Thursday.
Despite defeat Mayank Markande put in another brilliant display taking four for 23, and he is the new Purple Cap leader with seven wickets from two matches.
The win means Sunrisers Hyderabad top the standings after a second consecutive win, while Mumbai Indians suffered their second narrow one-wicket defeat.
Here's a look at the top run-scorers and wicket-takers in the IPL this season, followed by a recap of the best of Thursday's action.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (151/9) beat Mumbai Indians (147/8) by 1 wicket
Sunrisers Hyderabad enjoyed an exciting win over Mumbai Indians that culminated in a last-ball thriller as Billy Stanlake hit the winning runs needed to seal victory.
The scores were level going into the final ball, and Stanlake showed few nerves as he lofted a strike over mid-wicket for four to clinch a dramatic win.
Sports statistician Mohandas Menon showed how he was an unlikely hero:
Billy Stanlake (5* his highest score in any format) has never hit a boundary in his career in 43 matches, 13 innings!#SRHvMI#IPL2018#IPL
Sandeep Sharma and Siddarth Jaul both took two wickets each, leaving Sunrisers Hyderabad to chase down 148.
It looked a comfortable target early on as Wriddhiman Saha and Dhawan opened up and coasted quickly to 62 until they came up against Markande.
The 20-year-old accounted for Saha with a quick googly before Dhawan was caught at long leg boundary. He then took Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan in a superb showing, highlighted by Cricbuzz:
4⃣wickets for Mayank Markande! Finishes with figures reading 4-0-23-4.
Wriddhiman Saha ❌ Shikhar Dhawan ❌ Manish Pandey ❌ Shakib Al Hasan ❌
Sunrisers Hyderabad need 41 runs in 42 balls. #SRHvMI#IPL2018
From a comfortable start, Sunrisers Hyderabad were confronted with a nervy finish, needing 11 off their final over. However, Deepak Hooda put them in sight before Stanlake sealed the victory.
It will be a tough defeat to take for Mumbai Indians, who also lost their opener against Chennai Super Kings by one wicket. However, they will be able to take huge consolation from the performance of Markande who looks to have an exciting future ahead of him.
Lendl Simmons Caps Strong IPL with Match-Winning Knock for Mumbai Indians
May 24, 2015
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 09: Lendl Simmons of West Indies plays a shot during the ICC Cricket World Cup warm up match between England and the West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground on February 9, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
In the final of the Indian Premier League, the Mumbai Indians were under a great deal of pressure early on as they batted first against the Chennai Super Kings.
Opening batsman Parthiv Patel was run out for a duck by a superb piece of fielding from Faf du Plessis at mid-on having faced just three balls.
It meant Mumbai had scored just one run and lost one wicket, and they made a poor start to their attempt to win this year’s IPL title.
However, they went on to tally 202 from their 20 overs, a tribute to the efforts of their batsmen, led by opener Lendl Simmons, who made 68 from just 45 balls.
It was a continuation of some strong recent form for the 30-year-old West Indian, who has flourished in an opening role for Mumbai and scored more than 500 runs this year.
He hit a particularly purple patch of form recently, as in the month of May he has failed to hit 30 runs or more in an innings only twice.
Included in those strong innings were four other half-centuries outside his effort in the final, the highlight of which was 71 against Kings XI Punjab.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 09: Lendl Simmons of West Indies bats during the ICC Cricket World Cup warm up match between England and the West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground on February 9, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Simmons also set strong platforms for his team even if he did not go on to make a big personal score, as he passed 30 on three other occasions before being dismissed.
His innings in the final was indicative of what the West Indian has done all tournament, which is to start aggressively and throw bowlers off their rhythms quickly.
Alongside captain Rohit Sharma, Simmons lashed eight fours and three sixes as they took their side past 100 in 11.1 overs.
They punished some wayward Super Kings bowling and saw a threatening attack that included Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, among others.
Both were dismissed with the score on 120, and it would have been so easy for Mumbai’s batsmen to lose confidence with their two leading run-scorers back in the pavilion.
However, Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard had clearly taken note of their teammates’ batting and went on to pick up the baton to edge Mumbai closer to 200.
ANTIGUA, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA - MARCH 02: Lendl Simmons of the West Indies bats during the 2nd One Day International between the West Indies and England at Sir Viv Richards Cricket Ground on March 2, 2014 in Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda. (Photo by Gareth
Simmons helped build another crucial platform for his side in the final when they needed him most, and he showed once again how vital he has been.
It is thanks in large part to his consistency with the bat that Mumbai have won their second IPL title and turned around a season that started disastrously.
Without him, they would surely have really struggled.
Southern Express vs. Lahore Lions: CLT20 Date, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview
Sep 15, 2014
DHAKA, BANGLADESH - MARCH 23: Umar Akmal of Pakistan bats during the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 match between Australia and Pakistan at Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium on March 23, 2014 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Lahore Lions require a resounding victory over inexperienced Sri Lankan outfit Southern Express to retain hope of making it to the main group stages of the Champions League T20 competition, as the final round of qualifying matches take place.
Venue: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur
Dates: Tuesday, September 16
Start time: 11:30 a.m. BST (4:00 p.m. local time)
TV and live stream: STAR Cricket (India), Ten Sports/PTV Sports (Pakistan), SuperSport (South Africa), Eurosport (UK/Europe), SkyTV(New Zealand), Network Ten/Fox (Australia), CSN/Star Cricket (Sri Lanka), Star Cricket (Bangladesh), ESPN (USA and Caribbean), Willow Cricket (USA)
Weather: According to AccuWeather.com sun and cloud will be interspersed with a likelihood of thunderstorms. There could be interruptions but this should not stop the game from reaching completion.
Overview
With Northern Knights currently topping the group with two wins from two, the best Lahore Lions can hope for is to beat Southern Express and hope that Mumbai Indians fail to secure the victory in Tuesday afternoon's clash that would produce a three-way tie to be decided on net run-rate.
Unfortunately for the Lions, their crushing 72 run defeat to the Knights means that the latter scenario is unlikely to favour them. Their humiliating capitulation to some inspired new-ball bowling from Kiwi duo Trent Boult and Tim Southee put them on the back foot in this regard.
All over! 98 all out for Lahore Lions. They lose by 72 runs. A humiliation today. Lions yesterday, Cats today #NKvLIO#Cricket#CLT20
In their favour is the opposition: While Mumbai Indians face a tough assignment against the table-toppers from New Zealand, Lahore Lions will fancy their chances of piling the pressure onto the Indians with victory against an inexperienced Southern Express side shorn of star players Lasith Malinga and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
The Sri Lankans came into this tournament with just three games together in their brief history after the cancellation of the Sri Lankan Premier League and two of the five fixtures in the tournament that determined qualification to the CLT20.
The Express were far from embarrassed on their tournament debut, making a promising 92/5 in a reduced ten-over game against Northern Knights, but they wilted in the face of an assault from Kane Williamson that laid the platform for victory with three balls to spare.
In their second game, a must-win for both sides, Southern Express posted a target of 161 against Mumbai Indians that never felt like enough, and so it proved as the experience and international pedigree of the IPL side shone through. Mike Hussey and Lendl Simmons blitzed 139 inside 15 overs to effectively seal the outcome.
Southern Express won only two matches to win their 'hastily arranged' domestic T20 championship...unfair to expect any miracles in CLT20 too
Lahore Lions have at least tasted victory in this edition of the CLT20, keeping the explosive Mumbai Indians batsmen quiet and chasing down their target of 136 with relative ease thanks to Umar Akmal's blistering 38 not out from just 18 deliveries.
What will linger more clearly in the memory, however, is the aforementioned defeat in the second game. Things started well enough, but inroads into the Knights top order were undermined by a highly effective partnership between skipper Daniel Flynn and keeper BJ Watling, who made 53 runs each and shared a partnership of 90 runs in just under 10 overs to give the innings impetus.
Only Saad Nasim can be exonerated from blame in the sorry response from Lahore, making an impressive 58 from 40 balls as his team-mates collapsed around him, with nobody else making double figures in their slide to 98 all out.
Victory here will give Lahore a fighting chance, and the Lions batsmen must drag themselves out of the mire and make hay against a Southern Express attack that will be low on confidence themselves after their mauling by the Mumbai Indians top order.
The experience of Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal may well be key in steering the Lions back into contention for qualification to the main group stage. The Lions will be hoping for as comprehensive a victory as possible to enhance their net run-rate, but realistically they know that their fortune is hostage to the game that follows.
Victory for Lahore would mean that if Northern Knights can maintain their perfect start with a third victory over sub-continental opposition, the Pakistani side would progress at the expense of the Mumbai Indians side that won this tournament last year.
Southern Express are most likely playing for pride. Though an unlikely victory coupled with a win for Northern Knights would put them level on points with both Mumbai and Lahore, their heavy defeat to the former in their second fixture puts them at a distinct disadvantage in such a scenario.
A reminder, #SE are not technically eliminated yet. If they thrash the #LIO and #NK trash #MI they could sneak through. But won’t. #CLT20
Though inexperienced with fewer than 100 professional games under his belt and just 25 T20s, young opener Danushka Gunathilaka has shown flashes of talent in both games. Facing experienced new-ball pair Boult and Southee in their reduced 10 over innings in the opener against the Knights he struck a brisk 39 from 26 balls including the only three sixes of the innings.
Gunathilaka followed this with another positive contribution at the start of the Express innings versus Mumbai Indians, making 30 from 23 balls before rather throwing his wicket away. His clean hitting and positive strike-rate make him a danger at the top of the order, and if he can keep his wicket intact into the second half of the innings he could be the key to Southern Express posting a match-winning total.
Lahore Lions
Though seamer Aizaz Cheema has impressed with five wickets and a respectable economy rate, the batting is of greater concern after the debacle in the last game versus Northern Knights. Umar Akmal has the class, experience and power to be a match-winner in this crunch game for Lahore Lions.
In their opening win it was his belligerent 38 not out from 18 balls that tilted the tie in their favour. Furthermore, he is no stranger to the biggest stages, having thrashed Australia all over Dhaka on his way to 94 from just 54 deliveries in the World T20 earlier this year to help his side bounce back from defeat to India.
If he hits his stride early on, he could help the Lions bounce back from a dispiriting defeat of their own and prove the difference between the two sides.
Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Siddiq, Umar Akmal (wk), Nasir Jamshed, Salman Ali, Asif Raza, Mustafa Iqbal, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Imran Ali, Saad Nasim, Adnan Rasool, Mohammad Saeed, Ali Manzoor.
Mumbai Indians vs. Lahore Lions: CLT20 Date, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview
Sep 12, 2014
Mumbai Indians' players celebrate the wicket of Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Virat Kohli, not in the photo, during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Bangalore, India, Monday, May 14, 2012. (AP Photo)
Venue: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur
Weather: The Weather Channel predicts a cloudy evening with scattered thunderstorms and a 40 per cent chance of rain, with a low of 23°C and 90 per cent humidity.
Overview
Mumbai Indians will step out at Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium with an aim to defend their Champions League Twenty20 title, after a failed attempt in preserving their Indian Premier League trophy in the summer.
Mumbai had begun their IPL 2014 season horribly, before sparking a remarkable turnaround in the second half to make it through to the playoffs, including a spectacular win over Rajasthan Royals in the last match of the league phase which involved a last-ball six at the Wankhede Stadium.
The decision comes as a surprise since Mumbai also have with them Harbhajan Singh, who led the team to their maiden CLT20 title in 2011.
However, Pollard did lead the Barbados Tridents to the 2014 Caribbean Premier League title recently and that must have been the reason behind him getting the nod over Harbhajan.
I truly understand that it is a huge honor and a privilege to captain the vibrant Mumbai Indians side, and thank the team management for bestowing their faith in me. I am aware of the great expectations ahead of us. However, I am confident that together, we will face the challenges, and work towards retaining the glory and the stature of the Mumbai Indians team.
Since Mumbai finished fourth in the IPL, they have to play three qualifying matches and finish among the top two teams of four to guarantee a spot in the main tournament.
Up against Mumbai in their first qualifier are a side whose participation in the tournament was uncertain a week ago. Pakistani franchise Lahore Lions were issued their Indian visa just this week, as reported by ESPN Cricinfo, bringing an end to the speculation.
Lahore will be coming with a strong squad, except for bowler Wahab Riaz, whose new-born daughter is unwell and thus his participation isn’t certain. However, the squad still has enough quality and international players to mount a strong challenge.
We are departing with confidence. We all know how important the first stage is so we are focusing on qualifying for the next round. We, as a team, have been playing some exciting cricket in the last two years and the squad has gutsy players from our domestic circuit so we have an ability to fight at the top level.
Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Siddique, Umar Akmal, Nasir Jamshed, Salman Ali, Asif Raza, Mustafa Iqbal, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Imran Ali, Saad Naseem, Adnan Rasool, Muhammad Saeed, Ali Manzoor.
Players to watch out for
With Rohit Sharma missing from the mix, all eyes will be on Kieron Pollard to provide the ballistics in the batting department for Mumbai.
The tournament will also be a test for other high-profile foreign players such as Michael Hussey and Corey Anderson, who had a mediocre run in the IPL.
PROVIDENCE, GUYANA - AUGUST 02: Jamaica Tallawah's Pakistani International Ahmed Shehzad during the Fourth Match of the Cricket Caribbean Premier League between Guyana Amazon Warriors v Jamaica Tallawahs at Providence Stadium on August 2, 2013 in Providen
Among the Indians, it will be interesting to see if batsman Sushant Marathe, who was named Rohit’s replacement in the squad, gets a game.
As for the Lions, their batting line-up, boasting the likes of Ahmed Shehzad, Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed, will be key in determining their fortunes.
Shehzad has been at the centre of controversy in recent times due to the religious advice he offered to Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan and will be looking to put it all behind him.
Prediction
Lahore Lions are playing in their first CLT20 tournament, will want to do well and have the talent to be successful.
Mumbai, on the other hand, will be looking to right their wrongs from the IPL and start with a bang. In home conditions, albeit not on their home ground, Mumbai hold the advantage and are expected to sail through the qualifiers.
But don’t be surprised if this Lahore team give the superstars of the IPL a run for their money.
Mumbai Indians vs. Rajasthan Royals: Who Writes These IPL Scripts?
May 25, 2014
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND - JANUARY 01: Corey Anderson of New Zealand celebrates scoring the fastest 100 runs in history during game three of the One Day International Series between New Zealand and the West Indies at Queenstown Events Centre on January 1, 2014 in Queenstown, New Zealand. (Photo by Rob Jefferies/Getty Images)
Blimey, Beef. Who writes your scripts?
The question was made immortal in the world of cricket by former England captain Graham Gooch, directed toward his talismanic teammate Ian Botham at The Oval in 1986 in a Test against New Zealand. Botham, back playing after a three-month ban for admitting to the use of marijuana, had taken a wicket off his first ball bowled, which also got him level with Dennis Lillee's then-world-record tally of 355 Test wickets.
If Gooch was present at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 25, 2014, he would've probably added a colourful word or two to his phrase.
The Wankhede Stadium holds a special place among fans of Indian cricket ever since that six by MS Dhoni in the final of the 2011 World Cup. That six—that immortal six which ended a 28-year wait for India to win the big cup. No matter how many more sixes are hit at the Wankhede, none can ace that six by Dhoni.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsZ5vsryVTw
Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper-batsman Aditya Tare had no intention of trying to steal Dhoni's thunder. But after what he pulled off on Sunday night at the Wankhede, he might just have given Dhoni some serious competition.
But before we get there, some background.
It is the last league game of the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League. The two teams playing, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, are contesting for the last available place in the playoffs and a spot in the Champions League Twenty20 later in the year.
The Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, have reached here against all odds. After beginning the season with five straight losses, they strung together six wins in the next eight games to give themselves a shot.
The Rajasthan Royals started the tournament well, notching six wins in their first nine games and were sitting pretty in the top three, needing just two wins in their remaining five matches to seal qualification. It is here that the wheels started coming off as the Royals inexplicably made bizarre changes to their side by dropping key players and won just one out of four games coming into Sunday.
The equation favoured the Royals as the match began. Mumbai needed to chase whatever target that was set for them in 14.3 overs, or 87 balls. Anything above 160, and it seemed like curtains for the defending champs.
The Royals got almost 30 runs more than what looked like a safe score. A couple of blistering half-centuries from youngsters Sanju Samson (74 off 47 balls) and Karun Nair (50 off 27 balls) got them as far as 189 for four in 20 overs. Mumbai needed to score 190 in just 87 balls, at more than 13 runs an over.
It was surely, surely, surely curtains?
The Wankhede did not lose hope. There had been some spectacular happenings at the venue in the past, and the match wasn't over until the fat lady sang. As Michael Hussey and Lendl Simmons walked out, you wouldn't have been able to hear yourself yell on a microphone.
Simmons, fresh from the season's first and only century, started brilliantly with three boundaries in the first over. However, the West Indian's excitement was to get the better of him soon as he misconnected a pull and found mid-off in the very next over.
This brought Corey Anderson out to the crease. The Kiwi batsman, bought by Mumbai for $750,000 in the auction, had come with a reputation of big hitting following the fastest century ever in one-day cricket earlier this year, off 36 balls.
However, his first IPL season, before Sunday, could only be described as a colossal failure as he returned scores of 2, 18, 39, 13, 1, 35, 6, 18* and 18, before being dropped for Mumbai's last three matches before Sunday. His drafting in for a must-win game seemed like a wild card.
Anderson started brightly, as he and Hussey together bludgeoned 34 runs in two overs to keep Mumbai in the game. But just as you thought Mumbai were in with a chance again, Hussey was to be deceived by medium pacer Kevon Cooper's deceptive variation. Fifty-three for two in the fifth over.
Out walked Kieron Pollard. This was surely Mumbai's last throw of the dice. The man was known to do superhuman things on the cricket field. He had already taken two stunning catches in the tournament—one in this match itself—but Mumbai needed him to perform with the bat. He was, surely, their last hope.
For a few precious seconds, Pollard raised hopes as he cracked Cooper powerfully over deep midwicket for six on his second ball faced. The Wankhede went berserk.
The very next ball, you could hear a pin drop as the Trinidadian was foxed by a slower one and gave a simple catch to square leg. Sixty-one for three in five overs. Game over?
The in-form Mumbai captain, Rohit Sharma, came in next. He was no Pollard, but he knew how to hit a ball and score runs quickly. He had scored a double century in one-day internationals not too long ago. The Wankhede continued to show its faith, even as the stadium DJ was forced to shut shop following Mumbai city's 10 p.m. deadline of playing music on loudspeakers.
Together with Anderson, Sharma brought the house and the equation down to 86 required off 33 after eight overs. It had definitely been achieved before.
However, the Mumbai skipper holed out to the sweeper soon enough and washed away Mumbai's last remaining hopes. Not while I'm still alive, said Ambati Rayudu as he walked to the crease at No. 6.
Rayudu and Anderson set about Mission Impossible by knocking down the equation in arithmetic progression, almost. Eighty-two off 32 became 51 off 21, to 33 off 15, to 20 off nine, to finally nine off three deliveries, at the end of the 14th over.
On 94 off just 43 balls, the stage was set for Anderson to blast his critics away with a fairy-tale match-winning century. But he could only get a single with a thick edge to third man off James Faulkner's short-pitched delivery.
Eight off two required; two fours would do the trick. Rayudu decided to do better as he smashed an inviting, juicy full-toss on leg-stump over fine-leg for maximum. The Wankhede was on the verge of erupting; they had just trolled the loud music deadline.
And then, like a roller coaster that had reached its peak and came hurtling down, Rayudu misconnected the next delivery and was run-out trying for an impossible second run. Down he went on his knees, exhausted, sobbing, even as some of the Royals in the dugout celebrated.
But wait, it wasn't over. If you thought the Duckworth-Lewis calculations were baffling, try the net run-rate ones. After a huge animated conference between players and officials in the middle, and commentators correcting themselves thrice on air, it was finally concluded that Mumbai could still qualify if they scored a boundary off the next delivery.
The Wankhede, by now, had quietened down to an excited buzz. The fans were as confused as the players with all the pandemonium transpiring in front of them. In the midst of all that chaos, perhaps the only person to cut a relaxed, nonchalant figure was the incoming batsman, Aditya Tare.
The Mumbai wicketkeeper-batsman walked out to the middle vigorously chewing something. As the rest of the people on the ground ran helter-skelter confirming the calculations, he just watched the drama unfold with a face that would put a quality poker player to shame. A team-mate from the dugout who ran out to inform him of the target was greeted by a casual nod. Chill, bro, I'm here.
Finally, we were back on track. The field was set and spread around the ropes; the Wankhede was about to go mental.
Faulkner ran in...and bowled another full-toss on leg stump. Crack.
Tare is running toward his dugout with his shirt pulled up to cover his face and arms wide open, not very different from a football celebration. Shane Watson, the Rajasthan skipper, is close to tears. Rahul Dravid, the Royals mentor and unarguably the calmest cricketer ever to be produced, has tossed his cap away in disgust.
The ball had gone sailing over square-leg, almost magnetically pulled in by the berserk Wankhede crowd. Tare had hit another epic last-ball six at the venue, which might not have won the World Cup, but was nowhere less important to him and his team.
Mumbai were through to the play-offs. Not five matches ago, anyone would have scoffed at such a suggestion. They were never supposed to get there.
Did they deserve to get there? You bet.
After losing their first five matches on the trot, if you still manage to come through, you deserve to be there. After losing two of your best bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga, at various stages of the season, if you still manage to come through, you deserve to be there. After needing an impossible 190 in 87 deliveries, if you still manage to come through, you deserve to be there.
You couldn't even say that the Mumbai Indians had sneaked through the gap. They had bulldozed their way through. Even if they do end up conceding their title in the next couple of games, their entire campaign would always be defined by this one game.
For that matter, this entire season would always be defined by this one game.
After languishing at the bottom of the table for more than one-third of the tournament, and in the bottom half at the beginning of all matches in the league stage, Mumbai have achieved the first impossible fairy tale of qualifying for the playoffs.
Surely, surely, surely, they can't achieve another one the following Sunday?
Mumbai vs. Rajasthan, IPL 2014: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
May 24, 2014
Rajasthan Royals' Shane Watson and Mumbai Indians' Kieron Pollard interact during the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Mumbai, India, Friday, May 20, 2011.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
The final match of the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) regular season takes place in Mumbai, as the Rajasthan Royals travel to face the Mumbai Indians.
The Royals are currently in the fourth and final playoff spot, but with just a two-point advantage over Mumbai and Sunrisers Hyderabad, they are looking nervously over their shoulder.
If Rajasthan lose this game, it will still come down to net run rate, but they will be in a worse position than if they were to win, so this game—essentially a knockout—should be a classic.
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Date: Sunday, May 25
Start time: 3:30 p.m. BST
Live on: Sony Six, Star Sports HD, Star Sports 1 (India), ITV4 (United Kingdom), SuperSport (South Africa), OSN (UAE) SkyTV (New Zealand), Network Ten (Australia), Channel 9 (Bangladesh), Sportsnet and Omni (Canada), Sports Max (West Indies), Geo Super (Pakistan), Starhub (Singapore).
Weather: According to Weather.com, Mumbai may be a little cloudy but still largely sunny and warm, with temperatures peaking at 33 degrees Celsius.
Overview
As they continue to chase a place in the playoffs, Mumbai did their cause no harm as they beat the Delhi Daredevilsby 15 runs last time out.
The Indians batted first and reached 173 all out, with Mike Hussey impressing at the top of the order with 56 while Lendl Simmons and Rohit Sharma also both passed 30 runs apiece.
In reply, the Daredevils were restricted to 158-4 from their 20 overs; while Mumbai’s bowlers struggled to keep the runs down, they did just enough.
However, in reply the Royals failed to find momentum in their innings, and while Faulkner and Brad Hodge mounted a late charge, Rajasthan fell short and could only reach 163-8.
Mumbai may be below Rajasthan in the IPL table, but they will also take heart from the last time these sides met, as the Indians prevailed by 25 runs in Ahmedabad.
Rajasthan Royals (from): Shane Watson (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Brad Hodge, Sanju Samson, Stuart Binny, Ankush Bains, James Faulkner, Pravin Tambe, Kevon Cooper, Unmukt Chand, Steven Smith, Ben Cutting, Deepak Hooda, Iqbal Abdullah, Karun Nair, Vikramjeet Malik, Abhishek Nayar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Kane Richardson, Dishant Yagnik, Tim Southee, Rahul Tewatia, Ankit Sharma, Amit Mishra.
Key Players
Kieron Pollard
A very gifted Twenty20 player, West Indian Kieron Pollard remains crucial for Mumbai despite something of an inconsistent tournament.
A hard-hitting batsman and canny seam bowler, he could well be a game-winner for the Indians.
James Faulkner
The supremely talented all-rounder James Faulkner could hold the key for Rajasthan with his aggressive batting and seam bowling.
If he is given the opportunity to impress, he has the ability to take the game away from Mumbai in a matter of a few overs.
Mumbai Indians' Win over Delhi Highlights Best and Worst Parts of IPL 7 Campaign
May 23, 2014
Mumbai Indians' Munaf Patel, center, celebrates with his teammates for the wicket of Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Chris Gayle during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Bangalore, India, Monday, May 14, 2012. (AP Photo)
The Mumbai Indians were never supposed to reach this far. Thirteen matches into the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League, they sit in the fifth position on the points table with 12 points. Their qualification into the playoffs depends on Rajasthan Royals losing to Kings XI Punjab on Friday, after which they would have to beat the Royals themselves on Sunday.
The defending champions are clutching at straws—barely. They are gasping for air at the surface; they were supposed to have drowned long ago.
Their season had begun horrifically with five straight losses in the United Arab Emirates, the roots of which went all the way back to the player auction earlier in the year when they let go of players such as Mitchell Johnson, Dwayne Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik.
They tried to use the purchases of Michael Hussey and Zaheer Khan as a cover-up. How wrong they were.
Hussey, who switched colours after being the leading run scorer last season playing for Chennai Super Kings, scrambled his way to 30 runs in his first four games for Mumbai, before being dropped. Zaheer played two games more but had to pull out of the season due to an injury.
However, after the horrid UAE leg, they were back in the familiar confines of Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium—their beloved home where they had gone unbeaten last season. The return to the home environment worked wonders as they broke their losing streak by ending Kings XI Punjab's five-match winning run.
A win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their next match, also at home, got them back in the reckoning. All their batting woes of the first five games seemed long gone as they mustered up totals of 160-plus and won convincingly. But their resurgence was to meet a premature end as MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings beat them at home for the first time since 2012.
They responded with another dominant batting performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad, chasing down 157 with ease. But in the very next game, they struggled to get past 140 and eventually lost to Kolkata Knight Riders.
With three wins in 10 games, their campaign was all but over. What's more, Lasith Malinga, the life of their bowling attack, flew to the United Kingdom to join the Sri Lankan team. It was now a bridge too far. Or was it?
Out of nowhere, the Mumbai Indians won two games on the trot and kept their season alive.
Lendl Simmons, who was drafted in midway through the season, returned scores of 38, 68, 12, 62 and 100 not out—the first century of the season. Hussey was also brought back and scored a half-century, even as Mumbai recorded their first 50-run stand for the opening wicket. Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu also found form and provided solidity to the batting down the order.
In the bowling, the relatively unknown Jasprit Bumrah ably stepped into Malinga's shoes, with a unique, bamboozling action et al. Harbhajan Singh also used his years of experience to keep the runs in check and make the opposition batsmen err.
The Mumbai Indians were back...again.
Then, on Friday, after being put in to bat by Delhi, Hussey and Simmons showed the Wankhede what had been missing at the start of the season. The duo put on a swashbuckling 87 in eight overs, before skipper Sharma stepped in and took over at the fall of Simmons' wicket. Hussey fell at 120 for two, but it only brought out Kieron Pollard with eight overs to go.
Carnage was in the offing.
How wrong we were.
A poor shot from Sharma led to him to throwing his wicket in the 15th over with the score on 140, before Pollard followed suit two balls later. What followed was something that defined Mumbai's season—inconsistency and unpredictability. Only this time, the Indians showcased it within a single match.
It seemed as if they were selling hot cakes in the MI dressing room, as the batsmen followed each other back in an almost clockwork routine. A promising score of 140 for two in the 15th over plunged to 173 all-out with three balls to spare. They had lost their last eight wickets for 33 runs.
As Sharma watched his team collapse from the dressing room, with an expression of sheer disgust on his face, you would have thought Mumbai deserved to go out for such a collapse in a must-win game. As Delhi raced along to 43 without loss in the first five overs, the writing had begun to appear on the wall.
However, Mumbai were fortunate to come up against a team that had all but forgotten how to win a match—a team whose batsmen aced Mumbai in throwing wickets away. Three quick scalps brought them back into the game, before JP Duminy and Manoj Tiwary tugged back.
With 32 to win off the last 12 deliveries, when Marchant de Lange began the penultimate over of the game with an above-the-waist no-ball, all seemed lost again. But the South African recovered, dismissed Duminy and maintained a tight line and length to bring the equation to 25 off the last six.
Then, Bumrah, who had been whacked for a six and a four in his previous over, produced some exceptionally accurate Malinga-esque block-hole bowling to leave Delhi short by 15 runs. Yet again, Mumbai had lived to die another day...or hour, depending on Friday's other result.
Whether Mumbai stay alive in the tournament till Sunday, they will know they could have very well avoided such a scenario had they been more consistent. While their bowling hasn't been too bad, their erratic displays with the bat could cost them a spot in the play-offs.
However, after having shot themselves in the foot on a number of occasions this season, what matters is the Mumbai Indians are miraculously still in contention. They have managed to carve out enough points to keep themselves in the reckoning, however scrappy their performance has been.
One would even argue that they do not deserve to qualify, given their inconsistency. But Mumbai wouldn't mind such criticism one bit, would they?
After all, they were never supposed to even reach this far.
