MUMBAI, India — West Indian batsman Dwayne Smith smashed 14 runs off the last three balls to help Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings by two wickets and AB de Villiers’ late assault lifted Royal Challengers Bangalore to a five-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League Sunday.
Smith scored an unbeaten 24 off nine balls and hit Australia’s Ben Hilfenhaus for a straight six and two consecutive boundaries to guide Mumbai Indians to 174-8 after Super Kings had finished at 173-8.
Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 73 gave Chargers a formidable total of 181-2 but de Villiers struck a 17-ball 47 not out that included 23 off Dale Steyn’s last over to reach 185-5 in 18.5 overs. De Villiers hit five fours and three sixes.
Sachin Tendulkar (74) and Rohit Sharma (60) had kept Mumbai on course with a 126-run second wicket stand off 81 balls before Super Kings hit back strongly and took seven wickets for 25 runs.
Hilfenhaus didn’t concede a run off his first eight deliveries but then bowled two low full tosses to Smith followed by a length delivery, all of which were calmly hit hard by the West Indian all-rounder.
Mumbai Indians looked to be coasting to victory when Tendulkar hit 11 boundaries and a six in his 44-ball knock, taking the home team to 134 in the 16th over.
Faf du Plessis plucked a brilliant one-handed catch of Tendulkar at short extra cover to ignite an astonishing collapse. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja bowled Ambati Rayudu and Sharma in the 18th over before Robin Petersen was smartly run out by Du Plessis and captain Harbhajan Singh then holed out at long-off.
Hilfenhaus bowled Lasith Malinga to make it 159-8 but couldn’t stop Smith from hitting the three crucial blows.
Earlier, Super Kings’ opening batsman Murali Vijay (41) and Dwayne Bravo (40) were the top run-scorers before Malinga (3-25) struck three late blows.
The victory kept Mumbai Indians in third with 14 points while Super Kings are fourth with 11. Delhi Daredevils lead the nine-team league with 16 points, followed by Kolkata Knight Riders with 15. — AP
Print
Post Comment 
