Kieron Pollard celebrates his half-century
Kieron Pollard blasted a quick-fire half-century as Mumbai Indians overpowered Chennai Super Kings by nine runs in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) match at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Saturday.
The big hitting West Indian batsman plundered 57 off 38 balls with the help of five sixes and four boundaries and shared a 65-run fifth-wicket stand with Harbhajan Singh (21) as Mumbai Indians managed the total of 148-6 before restricting the hosts to 139-9.
Needing 12 runs off the final over with skipper MS Dhoni (51 off 26) on crease, Chennai seemed on course to seal a sensational win, Munaf Patel’s clever over shattered them.
Munaf claimed Dhoni, who rescued the hosts when they were reeling at 5-66 in 12 overs and turned the lop-sided contest to a tense finish with blistering hitting, on the first ball, caught by Kieron Pollard at mid-wicket fence. Dhoni’s knock was studded with five boundaries and three sixes.
Tail-enders Ankit Rajpoot and Dirk Nannes weren’t able to deliver Chennai what they needed, as the hosts can produce just three runs off the next five deliveries.
Prior to the drama, the game was solely in Mumbai’s control as not permitted the hosts to get momentum early from the innings and kept hurt them with regular wickets. Michael Hussey (20) was the other notable scorer for hosts.
Munaf was the pick of Mumbai bowling with 3-29. Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha claimed two wickets apiece.
Earlier, elected to bat, Mumbai witnessed a hiccup in the top-order and crumbled to 5-75 following the cheap dismissals of skipper Ricky Ponting (6), Sachin Tendulkar (0), Rohit Sharma (8) and Ambati Rayudu (3) and a whirlwind 25-ball 37 from Dinesh Karthik.
The arrival of Kieron Pollard, however, changed the complexion of innings. The West Indian swashbuckler was particularly ruthless against off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, facing whom he cleared the rope thrice over covers.
Mumbai had lost their opening game to Royal Challengers Bangalore by 2 runs.