Sharma seals it for Mumbai

Visakhapatnam - Rohit Sharma hit a six on the last ball to give the Mumbai Indians a five-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League on Monday.

Needing three off the last delivery, Sharma lofted Daniel Christian over long on to guide the Indians to 142-5 after Munaf Patel's 4-20 had restricted the Chargers to 138-9.

Sharma was unbeaten on 73 off 50 balls, hitting four boundaries and five sixes - two of which came in the last over.

The Chargers have lost two straight now, after being beaten by Chennai Super Kings at the same venue. Mumbai, which has been without Sachin Tendulkar for the second match in a row due to a finger injury, have two victories from three matches.

South African fast bowler Dale Steyn had kept the Chargers in charge of the game until the 19th over with a hostile spell of 3-12.

But New Zealand left-hander James Franklyn hit a straight boundary off the first ball of Christian's over. The next two deliveries could yield only three runs before Sharma pounced on a full toss for a six over point boundary.

Sharma scampered for two off the penultimate delivery before hoisting a low full toss over the fence.

"The idea was to stay calm," Sharma said. "I knew we could do it in the end."

Earlier, Patel bowled Chargers captain Kumar Sangakkara in a contentious dismissal after Chargers opted to bat first.

Umpire Johan Cloete refused to consult the TV umpire, but Indians captain Harbhajan Singh and Patel argued with him until play was stopped for nearly five minutes to allow the off-field official to be consulted.

Shikhar Dhawan gave the Chargers a perfect start when he lofted four sixes over midwicket in a quickfire 41 off 24 balls. But he threw away his wicket when Kieron Pollard took a well-judged catch at extra cover off a leading edge.

Christian (39) and Cameron White (30 not out) were kept in check by Patel intelligently bowling at a variable pace.

Mumbai Indians 142-5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 73 not out, Kieron Pollard 24; Dale Steyn 3-12) def. Deccan Chargers 138-9 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 41, Daniel Christian 39, Cameroon White 30 not out; Munaf Patel 4-20, Lasith Malinga 3-27, Kieron Pollard 2-33).