The Maharashtra Derby turned out to be an absolute classic as Rising Pune Supergiant defeated Mumbai Indians by 20 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The city witnessed an absolute masterclass from MS Dhoni with the former skipper being in the thick of things throughout the game as the Supergiant scripted their way into the record books by registering their place for the first time in the finals of the Indian Premier League.
The Wankhede Stadium is known to be a chasing ground and Rohit Sharma, the skipper of Mumbai Indians had no hesitation in opting to bowl first after winning the toss. They endured a dream start in this much-anticipated clash as they scalped the wickets of in-form players, Rahul Tripathi and Steve Smith within two overs of play.
A middle order resurgence by Ajinkya Rahane and Manoj Tiwary along with a cameo from MS Dhoni helped the Pune outfit post a respectable total of 162 runs in the first innings.
In reply, the Mumbai Indians lost wickets at regular intervals with Parthiv Patel top scoring with a well made a half-century at the top of the order. Lack of partnerships did not help their cause as the home team fell short by 20 runs in their chase of 163 runs.
Here’s a look at the performance of the players in this exciting contest:
Rising Pune Supergiant
Ajinkya Rahane – 8
The exciting opening batsman had an inconsistent run in the tenth edition of the tournament but played one of his best knocks of the competition as he anchored the innings with a well compiled 56 off 43 deliveries, including five boundaries and one huge six.
A crucial half-century at the top of the order ensured the visiting side had a strong foundation to launch an onslaught in the back end of the innings.
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Rahul Tripathi – 0
Rahul Tripathi has arguably been the find for the Rising Pune Supergiant in the tenth edition of the tournament. The young batting sensation failed to create any magic in this much-awaited clash as he was clean bowled without troubling the scorers by an inswinging delivery from Mitchell McCleneghan.
Steve Smith – 1
The skipper of the Pune outfit has been the mainstay of the batting unit throughout the tournament but could not manage to bail his side out of the early loss of Tripathi as he was dismissed for a single in the following over by Malinga.
The batting was heavily reliant on the Smith in the absence of Ben Stoke but the Australian failed to anchor the innings as he was caught by Hardik Pandya at backward point. The extra bounce in the hard Wankhede surface resulted in the undoing of Smith as he tried to flick a good length slower delivery and managed a leading edge.
Manoj Tiwary – 8
The experienced middle order batsman has been in sublime form right through the competition and it was no different today as he stitched a crucial 80 runs stand with Ajinkya Rahane for the third wicket. Coming to bat at number four, Tiwary bailed his side out of early jitters and scored a well made 58 off 48 balls before being run out off the last ball of the innings.
MS Dhoni – 8
MS Dhoni is regarded as one of the best finishers of the game in the modern era and he proved exactly that as he smashed the bowlers all around the park in his explosive knock of an unbeaten 40 runs in his 26 ball stay.
The former skipper was at his aggressive best as he clobbered Jasprit Bumrah for two huge hits over the fence in the last over of the innings to give the Supergiant much-needed impetus, going into the second innings.
Dan Christian – 6
The Australian all-rounder bowled accurately in his four-over spell as he stuck to the basics and conceded 33 runs. He was brilliant in the field as he safely pouched two important catches of Krunal Pandya and Parthiv Patel at the boundary rope.
Washington Sundar – 9
The teenage off spinning sensation has been handed the responsibility of bowling in the powerplay by the management of the Pune outfit and he delivered with the big wickets of skipper Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu in the second over of his spell.
Sundar returned to scalp the important wicket of Kieron Pollard in the next over to break the backbone of the Mumbai Indians batting unit. The spell of three for 16 in his four overs proved to be the turning point of the match.
Shardul Thakur – 7
The fast bowler picked up two crucial wickets of Krunal Pandya and Parthiv Patel in the middle overs to give the Supergiant an advantage going into the back end of the innings. Although Thakur was expensive in his four overs as he leaked 37 runs, his three wickets helped the visiting side to bowl out the formidable batting unit of the Mumbai Indians.
Adam Zampa – 4
The leg-spinner just bowled the solitary over in the match and conceded nine runs including a huge six from Hardik Pandya.
Jaydev Unadkat – 7
The left-arm seamer has been in tremendous form throughout the tournament and continued to impress one and all as he conceded just 24 runs and picked up the wicket of Karn Sharma in his quota of four overs.
Lockie Ferguson – 6
The Kiwi fast bowler was making a comeback in the playing XI of the side in the expanse of Ben Stokes. Ferguson was outstanding in the middle overs and picked up the big wicket of Hardik Pandya in the 12th over of the innings to dent the Mumbai Indians in their quest for victory. He returned with figures of one for 21 in his three-over spell.
Mumbai Indians
Parthiv Patel – 7
The pocket-size dynamite set the platform for the Mumbai Indians in the run chase as took the attack to the opposition and scored a quick fire 52 runs off 40 balls with three boundaries and three hits over the fence.
His knock at the top of the order anchored the innings for the Mumbai Indians but the lack of substantial partnerships in the middle did not help his cause.
Lendl Simmons – 1
The West Indian opening batsman struggled to get going in the run chase and was unfortunately run out for 5 in his 13 ball stay.
Rohit Sharma – 0
Rohit Sharma will consider himself unlucky as he was adjudged LBW to Washington Sundar in the last over of the powerplay. The skipper tried to play the sweep shot and managed to get a huge inside edge but the umpire failed to notice, sending the Wankhede crowd into huge silence.
Ambati Rayudu – 0
The middle order batsman disappointed with the bat as he was caught without troubling the scorers at short mid-wicket by Steve Smith to a half-tracker from Washington Sundar.
Kieron Pollard – 2
The big-hitting batsman from the Caribbean island failed to bail the home team out of early jitters as he was dismissed by Washington Sundar for seven runs. Trying to flick a half volley on leg stump, Pollard managed to hit it straight into the hands of Steve Smith at short midwicket.
Krunal Pandya – 5
The left arm spinner was brilliant with the ball as he put the brakes on scoring rate with some accurate bowling in middle overs. Pandya was the most economical bowler in this important clash as he jus conceded 22 runs in his four-over spell. However, he could not create the same impact with the bat as he was dismissed for 15 runs in the run chase.
Hardik Pandya – 3
The all-rounder encountered a horrendous day at the office as he was caught at long on for a 10 ball 14 runs. The shot selection would haunt the management of the Mumbai Indians as Mumbai were struggling with four wickets down and needed the experience of Pandya in the middle overs.
In the first innings, he disappointed with the ball as he conceded 15 runs in the solitary over he bowled in the match.
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Karn Sharma – 6
The leg-spinner was accurate with his line and length and picked up the big wicket of Ajinkya Rahane in the middle overs to dent the Supergiant in pursuit of a huge first innings total. Sharma returned with figures of one for 30 in his quota of four overs to help the home team restrict the Pune outfit to a decent total of 162 runs.
Mitchell McCleneghan – 5
The left arm pacer from New Zealand gave the Mumbai Indians a perfect start to this exciting clash as he picked up the big wicket of Rahul Tripathi in the very first over of the innings. McCleneghan was a touch expensive in his second spell as he gave away 26 runs in the penultimate over of the innings and ended his four-over spell with figures of one wicket for 46 runs.
Jasprit Bumrah – 7
The death over specialist for the Mumbai Indians delivered for his side in this crucial encounter as he was brilliant with the execution of yorkers and slower deliveries in the back end of the innings as he conceded just 33 runs in his spell of four overs.
In the context of the game and the crunch situations he bowled in the match, his spell was crucial for the home team in restricting the Supergiant to a modest total in the first innings.
Lasith Malinga – 8
The veteran medium pacer got all his experience into play as he scalped the big wicket of Steve Smith in the second over of the match to give the Mumbai Indians an early advantage in this epic encounter. Bowling his slow delivery, Smith was guilty of trying to flick the ball onto the vacant leg side but just managed to get a leading edge to backward point.
The change of pace caught the stylish batsman completely by surprise as he was a bit early into his shot which resulted in his downfall. He returned with figures of one for 14 in his three overs.
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