IPL 9, Match 54 Review: Mumbai submit against the roaring Lions

The Mumbai Indians and the Gujarat Lions played the most crucial match of the season at Kanpur. With the wicket being an uncertainty, Mumbai had an uphill task ahead of them to ensure they stay in the hunt for the playoffs. For the Lions, the match not only meant qualification for the playoffs but also guaranteed a place in the top two. Needless to say, the top two teams get an added benefit in the playoffs.

The home skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to bowl first. Mumbai were jolted by the injury of Ambati Rayudu, but that paved way for Hardik Pandya in the team. The Mumbai openers Rohit Sharma and Martin Guptill came out all guns blazing. Rohit, in particular, was a man on a mission as he carved 30 runs in just 17 balls. They were suddenly rocked by 3 quick wickets, that of Rohit, Martin Guptill and Krunal Pandya, that dented their aggressive approach, leaving them 45/3 by the end of 5 overs.

How did Twitter react to the game? – Twitter Reactions: Raina, McCullum star as GL qualify for the playoffs

Nitish Rana was promoted at number three, and the batsman from Delhi made the most out of the opportunity that had come his way. Rana took a special liking to left-arm spinners Shadab Jakati and Ravindra Jadeja and clubbed them over midwicket for a few maximums. He was supported by Jos Buttler and the duo put together 75 runs in 53 balls for the 4th wicket. Buttler was caught and bowled by Dwayne Bravo in the 14th over and his resistance of 30 balls saw him fetch 33 runs for his side.

Meanwhile, Rana brought up his maiden half century and looked good for more. He became Bravo’s second scalp of the night in the 17th over. He played a splendid knock of 70 runs in just 36 balls with 7 fours and 4 maximums. His departure saw wickets fall in clusters as neither Hardik nor Kieron Pollard could get into the double figures. The Mumbai Indians posted a decent 172/8 in their 20 overs.

Gujarat Lions sprang a surprise when Brendon McCullum was not joined by Dwayne Smith in the opening slot but by Aaron Finch. The move backfired as Vinay Kumar trapped Finch lbw on the second delivery of the match. He started off with a wicket maiden. In walked Suresh Raina, who continued from where he had left in the last game. McCullum joined the party too and they thrashed the Mumbai bowlers to all parts of the Green Park stadium.

70 runs were on the board by the end of the powerplay and there seemed to be no Mumbai Indians bowler bowling the right lengths. McCullum and Raina put on 96 for the 2nd wicket in just 53 balls. The partnership was finally broken when Harbhajan Singh got through the defences of Baz in the 10th over. He scored 48 off 27 balls with 8 muscular fours and a towering maximum. The Lions brought up their 100 runs by the end of the 10th over. Dinesh Karthik was the new man in who joined skipper Raina.

He brought up his half century in 31 balls, his second successive fifty. Karthik, on the other hand, lost his wicket cheaply and became Vinay Kumar’s second victim of the night. An over later, Jasprit Bumrah got the prized scalp of the Gujarat skipper Suresh Raina. However, the chase was well on its course by then. Raina smacked 58 off 36 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes before getting dismissed.

In walked Dwayne Smith, who looked in an absolute hurry to finish things off. Jadeja played the helping hand. They made little work of the Mumbai bowlers and finished the game with 13 balls to spare and 6 wickets in hand. Smith remained unbeaten on 37 (23) with 4 fours and 2 sixes and Jadeja remained unbeaten on 21 (15) with 4 fours.

Brief Scores:

Mumbai Indians: 172/8 in 20 overs (N Rana 70, Praveen Kumar 2/24)

Gujarat Lions: 173/4 in 17.5 overs (S Raina 58, Vinay Kumar 2/17)

Man of the match: Suresh Raina