Mumbai Indians 197-6 (Kieron Pollard 64, Ambati Rayudu 47*, Amit Singh 2-29) beat Rajasthan Royals 170 all out (Owais Shah 76, Ajinkya Rahane 40, Munaf Patel 4-28, Pollard 4-44) by 27 runs.

Kieron Pollard demolished Rajasthan Royals with his all round performance and led Mumbai Indians to a comfortable victory in the fifth edition of the IPL.

The Mumbai Indians plundered 197 runs with four wickets still in hand and the Rajasthan Royals were bowled out for 170 with two balls to spare.

Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians) was declared ‘Player of the match’ as he smashed 64 runs off 33 balls and grabbed four important wickets as well.

The 12^th match of the Indian Premier League 2012 was played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in front of the packed home supporters who cheered for their team throughout the game.

Earlier, the Rajasthan Royals Captain, Rahul Dravid, won the toss and sent the Mumbai Indians in to bat. The innings was opened by Richard Levi and Tirumalasetti Suman, the start was cautious as they scored just five runs in the first two overs. They opened up in the third over off Ankeet Chavan and gathered 21 runs that included 2 sixes and even fours. The first wicket contributed 28 runs when Suman lost his wicket for 10 as Rohit Sharma walked in the centre.

The runs rate was picked up and they added 31 runs together as Sharma was clean bowled by Brad Hogg for 21. The second wicket fell at 59 and nine runs later Levi went back to the pavilion for 29 when Ambati Rayudu and the hard hitting Kieron Pollard joined together at the crease. The run rate accelerated immediately and the boundaries started showering from the willows of the two batsmen.

Pollard punished Johan Botha for 23 runs in the 14^th over with the assistance of 2 huge sixes and even fours as Rayudu was also getting boundaries often. Chavan was once again hammered by Pollard for 15 runs on the first four deliveries of the 17^th over and completed his fifty. The duo shared 96 prompt runs in 8.4 overs when Pollard was gone for 64 off 33 deliveries with 4 lofty sixes and 6 fours. Rayudu remained unbeaten for 47 off 32 balls with 3 sixes and a four as skipper Harbhajan Singh was at the crease for 18 off 6 deliveries that included 2 sixes and one four. The Mumbai Indians smashed 197 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Amit Singh and Brad Hogg were the highest wicket takers with two wickets each as Ankeet Chavan and Kevon Cooper claimed one wicket each.

The Rajasthan Royals lost two early wickets on the successive deliveries of the second over off Munaf Patel for mere seven runs. Ajinkya Rahane and Owais Shah stabilised the innings with precaution and accelerated within no time as the first assembled 11 runs in the fourth over with one six and a four. Owais got one six on the fifth ball of the fifth over and followed with another one in the next over. The run rate was enhanced by the two as the boundaries were flourished almost in every over and the score went up to 89 in 11.1 overs.

Rahane lost his wicket at that point for 40 off 31 balls with 2 sixes and 4 fours as Ashok Menaria reached in the centre. Owais Shah continued the attack and achieved his fifty on the fourth ball of the 12^th over with a grand six. The duo added 16 runs in the following over with the help of one six and two fours and powered 19 runs in the 14^th over with 2 sixes and one four. The fourth wicket association accumulated 45 runs in three overs as Owais Shah was clean bowled by Lasith Malinga for 76 scored off 42 balls which comprised 5 towering sixes and even fours.

The fourth wicket was lost at 134 runs as the Mumbai Indians bowlers took over and no real resistance was shown from the incoming batsmen. The innings of the Rajasthan Royals was folded back on 170 runs with two balls to spare.

Munaf Patel and Kieron Pollard were the star performers with four wickets each and Lasith Malinga held two wickets.

The Mumbai Indians won the match conveniently by 27 runs and earned two vital points from the game.

Points for the two teams at the end of the IPL 2012, match 12:

Mumbai Indians – 6 from 4 matches.

Royal Challengers Bangalore – 2  from 2 matches.