Mumbai Indians win a final-over thriller at the Eden Gardens as they beaten Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets, with a ball to spare, on Wednesday night. Chasing 160, Mumbai needed 10 off the last over when the well-set Kieron Pollard was caught on the 1st ball, a slower delivery, by Rajat Bhatia.
Ambati Rayudu scampered a single on the next delivery, leaving the requirement at 9 from 4. Harbhajan Singh, who had been clobbered for 26 in the opening over of the match, then atoned for his bowling lapses by swinging a maximum over the mid-wicket region, pretty much deciding the outcome.
Man of the Match Dwayne Smith (62) had provided the boost to the chase, while Captain Rohit Sharma (34) and Pollard (33) steadied the middle to build a platform for the launch. Mumbai had earlier survived a disastrous 1st over, to hold back the home side to 159 as Pragyan Ojha, Mitchell Johnson and Lasith Malinga picked up 2 apiece and gave away very little.
Birthday 'boy'
On his 40th birthday, Sachin Tendulkar faced his 1st delivery only in the 3rd over and did not do much before Sunil Narine snuck one through the gate to flatten the middle stick. Smith had not looked too believable early up. He opened up against Iqbal Abdullah, carting the left-arm spinner for 4 of his 5 sixes and bringing up his half-century in 34 deliveries.
Both Smith and the in-form Dinesh Karthik (7) were out speedily. The latter trapped in front by Senanayake and the former mistiming Narine in the air to be sloppily caught by Brendon McCollum, who was also involved in another crucial event at the boundary.
Score Details
Kolkata Knight Riders-159/6 (20)
Highest ScoreJ Kallis -37(38)
M Tiwary -33(24)
Best Bowling
M Johnson
L Malinga
P Ojha
Each 2 Wickets
Mumbai Indians- 162/5 (19.5)
Highest ScoreD Smith -62(45)
R Sharma (C)-34(28)
Best Bowling
S Narine-3(17)
Player of the match-D Smith
