Mumbai Indians snatched win from Kings XI Punjab in a suspenser

Mumbai Indians 171-6 (Rohit Sharma 50, Ambati Rayudu 34*, Parvinder Awana 3-39) beat Kings XI Punjab 168-3 (David Hussey 68*, David Miller 34*, James Franklin 1-5) by four wickets.

Ambati Rayudu gave a finishing touch and grabbed the target after Rohit Sharma established a solid base as Mumbai Indians crushed Kings XI Punjab in the IPL 2012.

Kings XI Punjab scored 168 runs for the loss of just three wickets as Mumbai Indians plundered 171 runs with four wickets in hand and one ball to spare.

Ambati Rayudu (Mumbai Indians) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his crushing knock of 34 from just 17 balls at a crucial time.

The 33^rd match of the Indian Premier League 2012, was played at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh, on Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

Earlier, the captain of Kings XI Punjab, David Hussey, won the toss and opted to bat first in front of the supporting home crowd. The innings was initiated by the two youngsters, Nitin Saini and Mandeep Singh and they started off well as the latter dispatched three fours in the third over from Clint McKay. The run rate was around 7.00 per over while they released the pressure from the middle order batting. The first wicket was lost at 35 when Mandeep Singh was caught behind by Dinesh Karthik off RP Singh for 22 scored from 16 balls with 4 fours.

A little contribution was witnessed from  the next two batsmen and Kings XI Punjab lost three wickets for 79 runs in 12.5 over when David Hussey and David Miller joined together at the crease. The flow of runs was accelerated by the two and the first hundred of the innings was completed in the 15^th over. Hussey was the most aggressive of the two and gathered 13 runs in the 16^th over with one six and a four as he achieved his fifty in the 18^th over while sending the ball flying over the ropes twice.

The duo forced the pace well and Miller got two sixes in the last over off Munaf Patel and the total was lifted to 168 without losing any further wicket at the close of the 20^th over. David Hussey remained unbeaten for 68 off 40 balls with 4 huge sixes and even fours as Miller batted well at the other end with 34 from 17 deliveries which comprised 3 towering sixes and one four.

RP Singh, Clint McKay and James Franklin were the only successful bowlers among seven who got one wicket each.

Mumbai Indians opened up with James Franklin and Sachin Tendulkar in a positive frame of mind and managed 40 runs from the first six overs. David Hussey introduced Azhar Mahmood in the 8^th over and he produced the much needed breakthrough when Franklin was caught behind by the wicketkeeper, Nitin Saini on 22 runs. The first wicket associated 52 runs in 7.5 overs when the promising Rohit Sharma took guards in the centre.

Tendulkar became the next victim of Azhar on the first ball of the 10^th over for 34 off 29 balls with 4 fours. Sharma kept the hopes of Mumbai Indians alive as the wickets kept on sliding at the other end and the fourth wicket of Kieron Pollard was gone at 90 on the fourth ball of the 14^th over. Ambati Rayudu was the next batsman in and provided an able support to Sharma who was going great guns and kept the charge on by hitting the useful boundaries. Rohit Sharma attained his fifty on the first ball of the 18^th over with a massive six but was caught by Azhar Mahmood off Parvinder Aawana at backward point for 50 off just 30 balls with 3 lofty sixes and 3 fours.

The fifth wicket was gone at 135 after contributing 45 quick fired runs in 22 balls and Harbhajan departed without scoring two balls later. Things looked slipping away from Mumbai Indians when Robin Petersen and Rayudu changed the complexion of the game in the 19^th over off Piyush Chawla which was a nightmare for the bowler. Petersen plundered 4, 4, 6 and a single on the first four balls and Rayudu did the rest by smashing two consecutive sixes on the last two balls.

Mumbai Indians required just five runs from the last over which was achieved on the fifth ball when Rayudu hit a four to Azhar Mahmoud. Ambati Rayudu remained unbeaten on 34 off just 17 deliveries with 2 sixes and even fours as Peteresen secured his end by punching 16 from mere 7 balls with the assistance of one six and two fours as the electrifying match was won by four wickets.

Parvinder Aawana was the most successful bowler with three wickets, Azhar Mahmood held two and Piyush Chawla claimed one wicket.

Points earned by two teams at the end of the 33^rd match of the IPL 2012:

Mumbai Indians    – 8 from 7 games at a net run rate of -0.073.

Kings XI Punjab    – 6 from 8 games at a net run rate of -0.436.