Kolkata: Mumbai Indians’ love affair with Eden Gardens continued as they clinched their second IPL title following a crushing 41-run win over Chennai Super Kings in a lop-sided summit clash, here on Sunday.
After Sharma and Pollard’s dismissal in consecutive balls, burly West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard (36) in the company of Ambati Rayudu (36 not out) led the side past 200. Mumabi bowlers complimented the good work of the batsmen as they took the fizz out of the Chennai’s chase with a very disciplined effort.
Chasing the huge target, CSK opted to have it easy and concetrated on building a platform after losing Michael Hussey (4) early.
Smith and Raina bided their time and looked to consolidate but it meant that they managed only 31 runs from the first six overs. The required run-rate kept on going up and shot past 13 at the midway mark.
Smith completed his half-century in 45 balls but only to be trapped lbw by Harbhajan in his penultimate over. Having made a grand comeback into the Bangladesh-bound Test side, Harbhajan completed his spell in style dismissing Raina.
Talk about Sharma and his sizzling love-affair at Eden Gardens, and he has done nothing wrong here. Today was no different. Sharma had come at a time when Dhoni and Co. once again looked ominous with a eye-popping run-out by Faf du Plessis to make MI 1/1 in first over.
The MI duo raced to 50 in 28 balls and the powerplay yielded a handsome 61/1 as they complemented each other nicely. Nothing going CSK way, Simmons was dropped by Negi on 48 as he raced to fifty ahead of Sharma in 35 balls.
Sharma drove Dwayne Bravo for a boundary to notch his 50 from 25 balls but only to be dismissed softly in the next ball hitting straight to Jadeja at long-on. Simmons followed suit after being bowled in Smith’s first ball – a slow yorker that he misjudged – to make them 120/3 in 12.1 overs.
The twin blow however proved to be too little too late as Rayudu and Pollard propelled to a winning total.
