CSK clinically win to expose MI’s flaws at Wankhede

MI had a winning streak of 10 matches at the Wankhede Stadium that was broken by CSK’s win yesterday on May 10, 2014 in match 33 of IPL 7. In reply to MI’s 157 for 6 CSK made 160 for 6 to win at Wankhede by four wickets. Man of the match Dwayne Smith made 57 off 49 balls and Dhoni finished off the Saturday prime-time IPL match with a big hit in the final over when 11 were needed before wrapping up the victory with three balls to spare. The last time MI lost an IPL game at the Wankhede Stadium was back in 2012. CSK were cruising to victory when the outstanding Lasith Malinga produced another superb 19th over to drag MI back into the game. R Ashwin was the pick of the CSK bowlers picking up three wickets for 30 runs in his four overs. While CSK played Samuel Badree, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, MI’s spin department featured only Harbhajan Singh. It was MI’s Ambati Rayudu who shrugged off a lean form to anchor the MI innings with a half-century to his credit. It was questionable as to why Rohit Sharma came in only towards the end of the 12th over, Kieron Pollard in the 18th and Corey Anderson even later. Super Kings looked to be in control for much of the chase, helped along by a superb Dwayne Smith half-century. Brendon McCullum was sent home though the ball was clearly headed down the leg side, the third umpire decided Suresh Raina was stumped though the replays suggested otherwise and lastly in the 17th over by Malinga, Jadeja caught dead in front of the stumps was declared not out. There was an array of astonishing boundary catches and drops that proved more fatal for MI than good. Mithun Manhas put down a sitter at long-on, Harbhajan Singh misjudged the line and could only get one hand on a midwicket six at a crucial juncture of the chase, Samuel Badree judged the ball perfectly at third man but could only push the ball over for six and Jadeja caught the ball at deep midwicket but failed to let the ball go before crossing the line. CSK won the toss and chose to field first. MI opened Lendl Simmons making his IPL debut, was accompanied with CM Gautam. Gautam left on 9 in the third over off the bowling of Badree who made his debut for CSK. At the halfway stage the scorecard for MI read 57...

MI’s Rohit returns to form at Wankhede to brush off RCB

In match 27 of Pepsi IPL 2014 MI beat the RCB by 19 runs in a closely contested game at the Wankhede Stadium. Rohit Sharma turned on his charm to make true the belief that home turfs do create a magic, rubbing the players the right way. MI continued their winning track by defeating RCB in a must watch encounter that was fought out in the middle providing some anxious moments holding spectators on the edge of the seat. Making a perfect target of 187 for 5 as backdrop MI began the job of slowly choking the RCB batting line up that ultimately crumbled to pressure yet again emanating from a stiff target. MI’s 187 included vital contributions from Rohit Sharma of an unbeaten 59 off 35 and Kieron Pollard with 43 off 31 balls. RCB could manage to reach only up to 168 for eight, with Jasprit Bumrah, Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga claiming two wickets each while Suyal got one. RCB upon winning the toss asked MI to bat. MI reshuffling their top order sent CM Gautam and Ben Dunk as openers which clicked as they started off very fluently. Then Dunk got out off the bowling of Harshal Patel on 15 while Rayudu was bowled by Dinda in the eighth over. And shortly thereafter, Varun Aaron had Gautam caught behind on 30. With MI on 77 for three it was in desperate need for someone to play out a long innings. But that was not to be as the tide turned in RCB’s favor as Yuzvendra Chahal further dug deeper by removing Corey Anderson on six. At last for MI Kieron Pollard and skipper Rohit Sharma settled down, accelerating as the innings progressed taking MI to the three-figure mark in the 13th over. Though Mitchell Starc and Pollard had an ugly spat on the pitch with Pollard throwing his bat, MI cruised getting 24 runs from the penultimate over. The 20th over saw big man Pollard losing his wicket to an unfortunate run out by none other than the RCB bowler Strac who was bowling the over. Rohit Sharma, however, ended the innings with a stunning boundary as MI ended up at 187 for five. RCB were on a rampage from the word go as the diminutive Patel exhibited some spectacular shots and Gayle did what he does best, clobber the ball to every corner of the ground. The second over by Pawan Suyal yielded 28 runs for RCB. The party did not last as Harbhajan...

Is Pepsi IPL 7 a lost ball game for MI?

Kieron Pollard of MI has rekindled some magic that had made MI the champions of IPL 6 in the last match of the UAE leg of Pepsi IPL 7 against SRH. Though many high profile names have been associated with MI like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Anil Kumble, Jonty Rhodes, Robin Singh and John Wright the team has been beaten in every match they have played so far. The MI team lead by Rohit Sharma has simply failed to click but this rise of Pollard in the last encounter was at least been a breach from the continuous streak of losses that has completely demoralized the players of MI. Even Harbhajan Singh who is never short on enthusiasm looked completely deflated in his last match against SRH when he left the field shaking his head upon having lost his wicket for nothing. As teams would be requiring about eight wins to qualify for the knockouts Mumbai are treading on thin ice as they have just nine matches left to play in Pepsi IPL 7. Five of the 9 matches that will be played out by MI during the Pepsi IPL 7 in India are scheduled at Wankhede stadium their home ground which might just prove to be the motivation they require. MI will face off KXIP, RCB and CSK in their coming three matches of IPL 7. However losing any of these three games would signal an end for them in this season. The point of controversy in the MI unit in Pepsi IPL 7 seems to have been the lack of a proper planning right from the auction’s stage to the batting strategies. In the already crumbling fortress of MI skipper Rohit Sharma seems to be completely out of form having scored just 84 runs from their five matches so far in the tournament. Corey Anderson and Micheal Hussey, the team’s assets have both simply failed to perform with the former having scored 73 runs in five matches while the later was dropped from the last encounter. Only Malinga is the lone performer who has been giving off superb performances charged up by Sri Lanka’s win in the ICC WT20 2014...

MI outplayed by SRH in last IPL 7 match at UAE

On Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai MI were defeated for the fifth time in as many matches by SRH who cruised to a 15 run win. This match between MI and SRH being the 20th was the last of the scheduled matches of Pepsi IPL 7 held in UAE. Only Kieron Pollard with a solid knock of 78 kept SRH in doubt about a win against MI. But as Pollard he was removed before he could single handedly take MI to victory the SRH had nothing else to get worried about in match 20 of IPL 7 played at Dubai. Defending champions MI are now languishing at the bottom of the table as they have been win less in their UAE leg of Pepsi IPL 2014 hence unable to score any points. Upon winning the toss MI Captain Rohit Sharma chose to field asking SRH out to bat first. MI brought in Ben Dunk instead of Michael Hussey in their playing XI. The SRH openers Finch and SRH Captain Dhawan got their team to score at a brisk pace with almost all of the runs flowing from the willow of Finch while Dhawan got out on 6. The SRH score stood at 21 for 1 in 2.4 overs. MI pacer Zaheer Khan though a paler shade of his original form was enough to claim Finch batting on 16 before he could stabilize upon his flying start and call the shots. Then Warner along with Rahul took SRH past their 100 in the 14th over laying a base for the death over smashing. Warner reached his 50 from only 41 balls exhibiting his candid brilliance. So much was Warner taken in by the momentum of his ambiance that he thrashed an above the waist no-ball from MI bowler Kieron Pollard straight into umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who was back on his feet despite taking a hit upon his left shoulder. It finally took Corey Anderson of MI to get rid of Warner on 65 in the 19th over with SRH on 149 for three. Darren Sammy made 10 retaning the tempo of the match showing exactly the late and swift power hitting that he is known for before Anderson had him caught in the deep in the last ball of the 19th over. Rahul perished in the 20th over bowled by a brilliant Malinga after having scored 46 valuable runs and duly anchored the innings while Warner made merry at the other end. Naman...

MI sink further in their pit of loses

The most disappointing display in IPL 7 has been from MI the defending champions who are yet to commence their quota of wins. It seems unexplained as to why MI is spiraling to loss after loss in their matches in UAE as they are not such a bad outfit after all. In their last encounter during match 16 of Pepsi IPL 7 MI suffered another humiliating defeat at the hands of DD by six wickets with seven balls to go on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. Skipper Rohit Sharma upon winning the toss decided to bat but failed to get a biggie as he was run out on 4 after opening the innings today, in the second over. The other opener Aditya Tare lost his wicket after scoring only 8 off the bowling of Wayne Parnell. With the scorecard reading 17 for two in 3.2 overs, Ambati Rayudu and Corey Anderson came together in the middle. They aided in accumulating 37 runs for MI through power play. Anderson perished on 13 as Jaydev Unadkat scalped him with Shahbaz Nadeem removing Rayudu on 14. After 10 overs MI were at 49 for the loss of 4 wickets which was a pathetic scene. Michael Hussey and Kieron Pollard came together at the crease but the run-rate remained under five. The MI innings took a turn for the worse when mighty Hussey left at 10 from 18 balls to spell doom for the team. Pollard sparkled for some time scoring an unbeaten 33 to help set up a respectable total for MI. It was strange that none of the batsmen showed a clear intent to anchor the innings that desperately needed a revival. Gautam, 22 and good old Harbhajan Singh on an unbeaten 10 before retiring hurt, had a good stint when so many heavy weights failed to perform. MI at the end of their allocated 20 overs managed to set 125 for 6 as the target for DD to chase down. DD bowlers Unadkat got two wickets with Nadeem and Parnell scalping one each. There were two crucial run outs the aided DD to keep the MI from flourishing. DD gave a befitting reply to chase down MI’s achievable target of 125. DD openers Quinton de Kock scoring 16 and Murali Vijay started off their innings adding 34 in just under seven overs. de Kock got out off the bowling of Corey Anderson. Then JP Duminy stitched runs slowly and steadily with Vijay to take DD...