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Mumbai - A fine all-round performance from Kieron Pollard saw the Mumbai Indians advance to the IPL final after they swept past the Royal Challengers Bangalore by 35 runs in their semifinal at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Pollard smashed 33 not out off 13 balls as Mumbai posted a formidable 184 for five. Medium-pacer Pollard then captured three for 17 off four overs as Bangalore staggered to 149 for nine.
The result means that Mumbai will face either the Deccan Chargers or the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday while Bangalore will contest the playoff for third place on Saturday.
Bangalore began their run-chase needing to score at over nine runs to the over.
But they were soon in trouble as Jacques Kallis (11), caught behind by keeper Ambati Rayudu off fast bowler Lasith Malinga, and Kevin Pietersen (19), stumped down the leg-side off a delivery from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, failed to build on decent starts.
Robin Uthappa briefly raised Bangalore’s hopes with a threatening knock of 26 off 13 balls but he fell when he tried to hit Pollard out of the ground and was caught at deep square leg.
The next ball saw Rahul Dravid (23) run out at the non-striker’s end after a mix-up with Ross Taylor saw Dravid sent back but the batsman was unable to beat the throw from Abhishek Nayar at point.
The double strike left Bangalore reeling on 81 for four and Pollard continued to torment his opponents as he had Virat Kohli (9) caught behind and Manish Pandey (5) caught at deep midwicket.
Taylor was the only other batsman to provide any sort of resistance as he ended not out 31 while Malinga and Harbhajan picked up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Saurabh Tiwary thundered to a half-century to provide the perfect platform for Pollard’s late assault.
The left-handed Tiwary eventually thrashed three fours and four sixes as he ended not out on 52 off 31 balls.
Tiwary was ably supported at the crease by Rayudu (40) as the pair put on 67 runs for the fifth-wicket before the right-handed Rayudu mistimed a pull shot to a Dale Steyn delivery and was caught at mid-off.
The partnership had helped rescue Mumbai’s innings after they had stuttered to 77 for four in the 10th over.
Rayudu’s dismissal brought Pollard to the crease and the big West Indian slammed three sixes and a four during his whirlwind innings as he and Tiwary ensured that Mumbai scored 77 runs off the last five overs of their innings.
Off-spinner Kevin Pietersen, who extracted appreciable turn, ended the innings with figures of one for 20 off four overs while leg-spinner Anil Kumble chipped in with one for 30.
Steyn finished with two wickets but he proved to be expensive as he conceded 43 runs off four overs.
Teams:
Mumbai Indians:
S Dhawan, SR Tendulkar (captain), AM Nayar, AT Rayudu, JP Duminy, SS Tiwary, KA Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, CRD Fernando, SL Malinga
Bangalore Royal Challengers:
JH Kallis, MK Pandey, KP Pietersen, RV Uthappa, LRPL Taylor, V Kohli, R Dravid, R Vinay Kumar, A Kumble (captain), DW Steyn, P Kumar
Pollard smashed 33 not out off 13 balls as Mumbai posted a formidable 184 for five. Medium-pacer Pollard then captured three for 17 off four overs as Bangalore staggered to 149 for nine.
The result means that Mumbai will face either the Deccan Chargers or the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday while Bangalore will contest the playoff for third place on Saturday.
Bangalore began their run-chase needing to score at over nine runs to the over.
But they were soon in trouble as Jacques Kallis (11), caught behind by keeper Ambati Rayudu off fast bowler Lasith Malinga, and Kevin Pietersen (19), stumped down the leg-side off a delivery from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, failed to build on decent starts.
Robin Uthappa briefly raised Bangalore’s hopes with a threatening knock of 26 off 13 balls but he fell when he tried to hit Pollard out of the ground and was caught at deep square leg.
The next ball saw Rahul Dravid (23) run out at the non-striker’s end after a mix-up with Ross Taylor saw Dravid sent back but the batsman was unable to beat the throw from Abhishek Nayar at point.
The double strike left Bangalore reeling on 81 for four and Pollard continued to torment his opponents as he had Virat Kohli (9) caught behind and Manish Pandey (5) caught at deep midwicket.
Taylor was the only other batsman to provide any sort of resistance as he ended not out 31 while Malinga and Harbhajan picked up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Saurabh Tiwary thundered to a half-century to provide the perfect platform for Pollard’s late assault.
The left-handed Tiwary eventually thrashed three fours and four sixes as he ended not out on 52 off 31 balls.
Tiwary was ably supported at the crease by Rayudu (40) as the pair put on 67 runs for the fifth-wicket before the right-handed Rayudu mistimed a pull shot to a Dale Steyn delivery and was caught at mid-off.
The partnership had helped rescue Mumbai’s innings after they had stuttered to 77 for four in the 10th over.
Rayudu’s dismissal brought Pollard to the crease and the big West Indian slammed three sixes and a four during his whirlwind innings as he and Tiwary ensured that Mumbai scored 77 runs off the last five overs of their innings.
Off-spinner Kevin Pietersen, who extracted appreciable turn, ended the innings with figures of one for 20 off four overs while leg-spinner Anil Kumble chipped in with one for 30.
Steyn finished with two wickets but he proved to be expensive as he conceded 43 runs off four overs.
Teams:
Mumbai Indians:
S Dhawan, SR Tendulkar (captain), AM Nayar, AT Rayudu, JP Duminy, SS Tiwary, KA Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, CRD Fernando, SL Malinga
Bangalore Royal Challengers:
JH Kallis, MK Pandey, KP Pietersen, RV Uthappa, LRPL Taylor, V Kohli, R Dravid, R Vinay Kumar, A Kumble (captain), DW Steyn, P Kumar
