News from the Official Mumbai Indians website

Mumbai Indians adds 5 explosive players to its squad

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:33:28 GMT

Mumbai, February 04, 2012: Mumbai Indians (MI) - the Winner of Champions League T20 (CLT20) 2011 and most followed franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL); further strengthened its squad by bagging key players like Rudra Pratap Singh, Herschelle Gibbs, Mitchell Johnson, Robin Peterson and Thisara Perera at the IPL auction held in Bangalore earlier today.

Rudra Pratap Singh, (India) a left arm fast-medium bowler has represented India in all formats of the game (ODI, T20 and Test Cricket). He played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the 2011 IPL, while representing the Deccan Chargers in the earlier editions. In the 2009 edition he emerged as the highest wicket taker of the tournament, with 23 wickets from 16 matches winning the ‘Purple Cap’. He remains the leading all time wicket taker in the IPL with 52 wickets.

Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa) is an explosive batsman & a brilliant fielder. He is still remembered for his epic innings of 175 in just 111 balls in the one-day international against Australia leading South Africa to victory in the highest ever Run chase in an ODI.

Mitchell Johnson (Australia), a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman from Australia will play in the IPL for the first time. He has been a prolific wicket taker for his country in all forms of the game with his accuracy and pace. Johnson was awarded the International Cricket Council’s 2009 "Cricketer of the Year" award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

Robin John Peterson (South Africa) bowls left arm spin and is a capable batsman. He has played six Tests and over 50 ODIs for South Africa and is a regular in the T20 squad.

Thisara Perera (Sri Lanka) is a young right-arm fast bowler who bats left handed and is touted as a genuine all-rounder and has been impressive with both his bat and ball for his country. He has represented Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for the second edition.

Speaking on the achievement, Mumbai Indians Spokesperson said, “We are extremely happy with the results of the auction, though we would have liked to also have got Sunil Narine and Brendon McCullum; I think we have done exceedingly well to have got RP Singh, Herschelle, Mitchell, Robin Peterson and Thisara Perera. We have got a very strong bowling line-up and we can now definitely explore a lot of options due to the flexibility added by the team’s current composition. I think this will help the captain to pick and choose the best eleven, depending on the conditions and type of surface we are playing.”

Mumbai Indians bags Pragyan Ojha from Deccan Chargers

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:34:47 GMT

Mumbai Indians, the winners of the Champions League 2011, have strengthened their spin bowling department for Season V of the Indian Premier League with the addition of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Ojha, the highest wicket taker for Deccan Chargers and winner of the Purple Cap in IPL 2010, has been added to the Mumbai Indians squad in the 2012 trading.

"With a spinner of Pragyan Ojha’s competence, we fortify our bowling department. Pragyan Ojha is a player of great international repute and we welcome him with much excitement," said Nita Ambani, owner of the Mumbai Indians.

Pragyan will complement the existing spin bowling department of Mumbai Indians led by champion bowler Harbhajan Singh.

Pragyan joins Dinesh Kartik as the two players that Mumbai Indians have added to their squad in preparation for the Season V which kicks off in April 2012.

“I am very excited to join Mumbai Indians and play alongside Paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) and Bhajji bhai (Harbhajan Singh) in the new season of the IPL. I keenly look forward to experiencing and enjoying the famous spirit of Mumbai Indians!” said Pragyan Ojha.

MI kick starts IPL Season V preparations with the inclusion of wicket keeper batsmen Dinesh Karthik

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:36:57 GMT

Mumbai Indians, the winners of the Champions League 2011, have started the preparations for the Season V of the Indian Premier League with the induction of reputed wicket keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik in their squad.

Mumbai Indians have added Dinesh from Kings XI Punjab in the 2012 trading window while all-rounder R. Satish has been transferred to the Kings XI.

The addition of Dinesh will strengthen the wicket keeping department in the Mumbai Indians squad while adding to the batting prowess of the team led by Sachin Tendulkar.

Commenting on the exciting development, Mrs. Nita Ambani of Mumbai Indians said, "We are very pleased to add a player of Dinesh Karthik’s calibre and specific skills to the Mumbai Indians squad as this addition will further strengthen our side."

"Mumbai Indians will provide me with an opportunity to showcase both my wicket keeping and batting skills. And yes, what better incentive than being in the same dressing room as Sachin Tendulkar!" said Dinesh Karthik.

"Satish was an integral part of the MI squad over the last two seasons - we thank him for his sincere contribution and wish him the best" said the spokesperson, Mumbai Indians.

IPL 2012 Schedule

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:33:20 GMT

Date	Day	Team A	Team B	Venue	Time
4-Apr	Wed	Chennai Super Kings	Mumbai Indians	Chennai	8:00 PM
5-Apr	Thu	Kolkata Knight Riders	Delhi Daredavils	Kolkata	8:00 PM
6-Apr	Fri	Mumbai Indians	Pune Worriors	Mumbai	4:00 PM
6-Apr	Fri	Rajasthan Royals	Kinds XI Punjab	Jaipur	8:00 PM
7-Apr	Sat	Deccan Chargers	Chennai Super kings	Visakhapatnam	8:00 PM
7-Apr	Sat	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Delhi Daredavils	Bangalore	4:00 PM
8-Apr	Sun	Pune Warriors	Kings XI Punjab	Pune	8:00 PM
8-Apr	Sun	Rajasthan Royals	Kolkata Knight Riders	Jaipur	4:00 PM
9-Apr	Mon	Deccan Chargers	Mumbai Indians	Visakhapatnam	8:00 PM
10-Apr	Tue	Delhi Daredevils	Chennai Super kings	Delhi	8:00 PM
10-Apr	Tue	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Kolkata Knight Riders	Bangalore	4:00 PM
11-Apr	Wed	Mumbai Indians	Rajasthan Royals	Mumbai	8:00 PM
12-Apr	Thu	Chennai Super Kings	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Chennai	4:00 PM
12-Apr	Thu	Kings XI Punjab	Pune Worriors	Chandigarh	8:00 PM
13-Apr	Fri	Kolkata Knight Riders	Rajasthan Royals	Kolkata	8:00 PM
14-Apr	Sat	Delhi Daredevils	Deccan Chargers	Delhi	4:00 PM
14-Apr	Sat	Pune Warriors	Chennai Super kings	Pune	8:00 PM
15-Apr	Sun	Kolkata Knight Riders	Kings XI Punjab	Kolkata	4:00 PM
15-Apr	Sun	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Rajasthan Royals	Bangalore	8:00 PM
16-Apr	Mon	Mumbai Indians	Delhi Daredavils	Mumbai	8:00 PM
17-Apr	Tue	Rajasthan Royals	Deccan Chargers	Jaipur	4:00 PM
17-Apr	Tue	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Pune Worriors	Bangalore	8:00 PM
18-Apr	Wed	Kings XI Punjab	Kolkata Knight Riders	Chandigarh	8:00 PM
19-Apr	Thu	Chennai Super Kings	Pune Worriors	Chennai	8:00 PM
19-Apr	Thu	Deccan Chargers	Delhi Daredavils	Hyd / Cutk	4:00 PM
20-Apr	Fri	Kings XI Punjab	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Chandigarh	8:00 PM
21-Apr	Sat	Chennai Super Kings	Rajasthan Royals	Chennai	4:00 PM
21-Apr	Sat	Delhi Daredevils	Pune Worriors	Delhi	8:00 PM
22-Apr	Sun	Deccan Chargers	Kolkata Knight Riders	Hyd / Cutk	8:00 PM
22-Apr	Sun	Mumbai Indians	Kings XI Punjab	Mumbai	4:00 PM
23-Apr	Mon	Rajasthan Royals	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Jaipur	8:00 PM
24-Apr	Tue	Kolkata Knight Riders	Deccan Chargers	Kolkata	8:00 PM
24-Apr	Tue	Pune Warriors	Delhi Daredavils	Pune	4:00 PM
25-Apr	Wed	Kings XI Punjab	Mumbai Indians	Chandigarh	4:00 PM
25-Apr	Wed	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Chennai Super kings	Bangalore	8:00 PM
26-Apr	Thu	Pune Warriors	Deccan Chargers	Pune	8:00 PM
27-Apr	Fri	Dehi Daredevils	Mumbai Indians	Delhi	8:00 PM
28-Apr	Sat	Chennai Super Kings	Kings XI Punjab	Chennai	4:00 PM
28-Apr	Sat	Kolkata Knight Riders	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Kolkata	8:00 PM
29-Apr	Sun	Delhi Daredevils	Rajasthan Royals	Delhi	4:00 PM
29-Apr	Sun	Mumbai Indians	Deccan Chargers	Mumbai	8:00 PM
30-Apr	Mon	Chennai Super Kings	Kolkata Knight Riders	Chennai	8:00 PM
1-May	Tue	Deccan Chargers	Pune Worriors	Hyderabad	4:00 PM
1-May	Tue	Rajasthan Royals	Delhi Daredavils	Jaipur	8:00 PM
2-May	Wed	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Kings XI Punjab	Bangalore	8:00 PM
3-May	Thu	Pune Warriors	Mumbai Indians	Pune	8:00 PM
4-May	Fri	Chennai Super Kings	Deccan Chargers	Chennai	8:00 PM
5-May	Sat	Kings XI Punjab	Rajasthan Royals	Chandigarh	8:00 PM
5-May	Sat	Kolkata Knight Riders	Pune Worriors	Kolkata	4:00 PM
6-May	Sun	Mumbai Indians	Chennai Super kings	Mumbai	4:00 PM
6-May	Sun	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Deccan Chargers	Bangalore	8:00 PM
7-May	Mon	Delhi Daredevils	Kolkata Knight Riders	Delhi	8:00 PM
8-May	Tue	Deccan Chargers	Kings XI Punjab	Hyderabad	8:00 PM
8-May	Tue	Pune Warriors	Rajasthan Royals	Pune	4:00 PM
9-May	Wed	Mumbai Indians	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Mumbai	8:00 PM
10-May	Thu	Rajasthan Royals	Chennai Super kings	Jaipur	8:00 PM
11-May	Fri	Pune Warriors	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Pune	8:00 PM
12-May	Sat	Chennai Super Kings	Delhi Daredavils	Chennai	8:00 PM
12-May	Sat	Kolkata Knight Riders	Mumbai Indians	Kolkata	4:00 PM
13-May	Sun	Kings XI Punjab	Deccan Chargers	Chandigarh	8:00 PM
13-May	Sun	Rajasthan Royals	Pune Worriors	Jaipur	4:00 PM
14-May	Mon	Kolkata Knight Riders	Chennai Super kings	Kolkata	8:00 PM
14-May	Mon	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Mumbai Indians	Bangalore	4:00 PM
15-May	Tue	Delhi Daredevils	Kings XI Punjab	Delhi	8:00 PM
16-May	Wed	Mumbai Indians	Kolkata Knight Riders	Mumbai	8:00 PM
17-May	Thu	Delhi Daredevils	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Delhi	8:00 PM
17-May	Thu	Kings XI Punjab	Chennai Super kings	Dharamsala	4:00 PM
18-May	Fri	Deccan Chargers	Rajasthan Royals	Hyderabad	8:00 PM
19-May	Sat	Kings XI Punjab	Delhi Daredavils	Dharamsala	4:00 PM
19-May	Sat	Pune Warriors	Kolkata Knight Riders	Pune	8:00 PM
20-May	Sun	Deccan Chargers	Royal Challengers Bangalore	Hyderabad	4:00 PM
20-May	Sun	Rajasthan Royals	Mumbai Indians	Jaipur	8:00 PM
22-May	Tue	First place team	Second Place team	Bangalore	8:00 PM
23-May	Wed	Third Place team	Fourth Place team	Bangalore	8:00 PM
25-May	Fri	Winner of eliminator	Loser of qualifier 1	Chennai	8:00 PM
27-May	Sun	Winner of Qualifier 1	Winner of Qualifier 2	Chennai	8:00 PM

Mumbai Indians on top of the world

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:52:49 GMT

Chennai/Mumbai, October 11, 2011: As soon as the ball skied by Raju Bhatkal landed in the safe hands of R Satish at deep mid-on, the MA Chidambaram stadium had erupted with a joyous roar. This not being the home ground of either of the playing teams, the spectators had witnessed the game with unadulterated joy until the last ball, as Mumbai Indians stunned the cricketing world and created history by winning their maiden Champions League T20. The scenario was electric. MI fans were dancing in ecstasy, while the dug-out had gone absolutely delirious. This was one the moments that would forever remain etched in the memory of all cricket enthusiasts.

In a team sport, every team has a story or two to narrate on their journey to tasting success at the global stage. Mumbai Indians too scripted their own fairytale last fortnight.

Even before the tournament got underway, the Mumbai Indians came across as a beleaguered unit, with several of their marquee players, including ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar opting out of the tournament due to injuries. This was a huge setback for MI, both in terms of team strength and morale, and not many reckoned them to be one of the contenders for the title. They entered the competition with a depleted side, to the extent that they were initially allowed by the CLT20 technical committee to field five overseas players in the playing eleven.

After all the early speculation in the media, Harbhajan Singh was appointed as the stand-in skipper. MI’s first test was up against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings in their own backyard. And considering the half-strength squad, pundits had all but written MI off. However, as it transpired, MI snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and upset CSK in a second last ball finish with skipper Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga coming to the side’s rescue.

A similar script awaited MI against T&T, when a strategic last-ball error by opposition skipper Daren Ganga handed MI the game, instead of taking it to the super-over finish that a tie leads to. Despite not performing at their best and the top-order fizzling out rather early, MI had somehow found a way to go through the first two matches and even topped their pool!

When the top-order did fire in the third match against the Cape Cobras at Bangalore, and hopes were up for making it to the semi-finals directly, the match was abandoned due to rough weather after MI’s innings and both the teams ended up sharing a point each.

Suddenly, MI was not certain of a place in the semis! They had to fight another one to seal a place in the semifinals. Worse, their scratchy and inconsistent cricket of the first two matches caught up with them and they lost a crucial tie against NSW, on a dreary wicket at Chennai.

Just when it seemed that MI would lose out on the semifinal spot by a whisker, T&T opened the window for them by defeating the Cobras. And the MI fairly tale would continue.

Going into the semifinals against Somerset, MI had to really elevate their game to march ahead. Opener Aiden Blizzard blasted a quick-fire half-century to put MI on top, and a few flip-flops later, unlikely heroes in the form of R Satish and S K Yadav managed to push MI’s score to 160. Although the bowling remained competitive, the fielding was a bit below-par and part-time keeper Ambati Rayudu’s misery behind the wickets became evident, more so with persistent comments from the box. But Harbhajan Singh once again pulled out a rabbit from the hat by handing the ball to James Franklin to bowl the penultimate over. With the rub of the green going their way, MI booked a place in the finals in a thrilling finish.

MI’s batting see-sawed from the very beginning once again in the finals against RCB. With some effort from Malinga and Yadav toward the end, MI finally managed to crawl to a fighting total of 139. Now, one giant and two disciplined soldiers from the opposition stood between them and the trophy: Chris Gayle, Dilshan and Virat Kohli. Sensing an opportunity, skipper Harbhajan first gave a third over to his ace bowler Malinga to get Dilshan out of the way and then took the onus on himself to remove the mighty Gayle. Thereafter, it was sheer team spirit and some out of the ordinary effort in all departments, as MI bowlers choked the opposition into a meek surrender and went on to clinch the trophy in a handsome fashion.

It was an amazing achievement, considering the obstacles MI had to encounter! To his credit, Captain Courageous Harbhajan Singh led from the front throughout, remained humble and grateful to the powers-that-be. It was a classic example of how team effort won over everything else. As he also repeatedly said, the fact that Sachin Tendulkar sat and cheered the team from the sidelines came in handy for MI.
MI’s success in equal measure must also be ascribed to Man-of-the-Series Lasith Malinga and the squad’s feisty and gutsy youngsters who made all the difference with their energetic approach. Yuzvendra Chahal, Sarul Kanwar, R Satish, S K Yadav and Abu Nechim rose to the occasion when it mattered most. Not to forget Pollard, and others, who came in with complete commitment!

Going by Malinga’s tattoo, “Destiny did say it all.”

Mumbai Indians make Champions League T20 history

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:27:08 GMT

Chennai, October 09, 2011: Starting as tournament underdogs, Mumbai Indians wrote a new chapter in the annals of cricketing history; as they went on to win the Nokia CLT20 championship here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium today.

In a low scoring match, Mumbai Indians first scored a below par 139 in their quota of 20 overs before choking the opposition to 108 all out, with some exceptional bowling effort. Led by Man-of-the-Match Harbhajan Singh who claimed three crucial wickets, MI won their maiden Champions League T20, defeating the Royal Challengers Bangalore by 31 runs.

Early on, skipper Harbhajan Singh decided to bat first after winning the toss. His openers started off in a positive fashion and took 10 runs off the very first over from T Dilshan, before a needless mix-up between Aiden Blizzard and Sarul Kanwar resulted in the wicket of Blizzard for 3, in the second over from Dirk Nannes. A little later, Kanwar (13) too had his stumps uprooted by Nannes, the score now reading 24-2 after 4.

It was familiar territory for Ambati Rayudu and James Franklin who had to stabilize MI’s innings after two quick wickets. The duo stuck to their task and brought up MI’s fifty in the 8th over without taking many risks. Rayudu showed some intent in the 9th over to accelerate the scoring by stepping-out to Daniel Vettori and lofting him for a six over deep mid-wicket, but fell in the following over to Raju Bhatkal for 22. MI’s score at the half-way mark was 71-3.

Rookie S K Yadav who played a handy innings in the semi-final walked to the wicket and was looking in good touch. At the other end, Franklin too was growing in confidence and pacing his innings accordingly. The pair brought up MI’s 100 in the 14th over, but before they could give further momentum to the innings, Yadav was unlucky to be run-out by Vettori for 24. Franklin too found himself run-out in the next over, for a well made 41. MI’s score after 15 read 109-5.

With 5 overs to go, MI could still reach the 150 mark, but dismissals of Kieron Pollard and Harbhajan Singh in the 16th over by Vettori dented MI’s hopes. After 16, MI’s score was 115-7. With some clean hitting, R Satish and Lasith Malinga managed 26 runs between them and took the score closer to the 130-run mark. However, in their effort to give their innings the required boost, the pair perished in the 19th over by Bhatkal. In the end, Mumbai Indians were bowled out for 139 in their full quota of 20 overs.

In reply, RCB got off to a flier, as openers T Dilshan and Chris Gayle smashed two boundaries in the very first over from Malinga. The Lankan opener continued in an aggressive fashion by clobbering Abu Nechim for four boundaries in the 2nd and 4th over. This initial onslaught from the opener put RCB in the driving seat, with 38 on the board after 4 overs. Just when it looked like the match was slipping away from MI, Malinga produced a beauty to get rid of his countryman for 27. Seizing the moment, Harbhajan Singh introduced himself into the attack and trapped the danger man Gayle in front, for 5. With both the openers back in the hut, RCB were 42-2 after 6 and MI was right back in the game.

Mayank Agarwal was promoted in the batting order and his job was to anchor the innings with Virat Kohli. The pair found the going tough in the middle, as Harbhajan was turning the ball square. However, the duo managed to add 23 runs to their total before Agarwal (14) was caught by Pollard off Chahal in the 11th over. In the following over, Harbhajan got the prized scalp of Kohli for 11. By now the RCB innings had started to crumble under pressure, still needing 67 from 48 with 6 wickets in the bank.

Sensing victory, MI bowlers exploited the conditions perfectly and kept exerting pressure on the opposition. As the asking rate kept climbing up, wickets started to crumble in a heap for RCB. Chahal and Pollard grabbed the wickets of A Kartik (0) and M Kaif (3) in the 13th and 16th over, respectively, and literally put paid to RCB’s hopes of crossing the line. By now the run-rate was over 12 an over, with 49 needed from 4 with 4 wickets left. RCB had their last hopes pinned on their captain Vettori but Bhajji once again came to the party and had him cheaply stumped in the 17th over. Abu Nechim came back to get rid of Saurabh Tiwary (17) in the 18th over and MI was now in touching distance of glory. Malinga cleaned-up S Arvind to pouch his 2nd wicket, and also went on to claim the prize for maximum wickets in the tournament. Nechim sealed the match with the final RCB wicket, with R Sathish pouching the ball at long on.

In the end, MI won the finals by 31 runs. While Harbhajan Singh was adjudged the Man of the Match, Malinga received the Man-of-the-Series award for his all-round contribution.

A Blizzard called Malinga takes MI into CLT20 finals

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:30:05 GMT

Chennai, October 8, 2011: It was sheer team effort, as stand-in skipper Harbhajan-led MI made CLT20 history to enter the finals of the tournament here at the Chinnaswamy Stadium today. Mumbai Indians now play Royal Challengers Bangalore in the finals tomorrow at the same venue to take a shot at glory.

Spirited Mumbai Indians moved into their first CLT20 finals by virtue of a 10-run win over Somerset here this evening. Initially, MI batsmen did a commendable job by posting a fighting total of 160-5 in 20 overs on a pitch that was playing low and slow. Thereafter, MI bowlers managed to restrict the opposition from crossing the line, under some inspired captaincy from Harbhajan Singh.

Early on, MI skipper Harbhajan Singh had no hesitation in batting first after winning the toss. Aiden Blizzard got his eye in quickly in the second over from Steve Kirby and smashed him for three boundaries to get going in the knock-out clash. Meanwhile, Sarul Kanwar who was finding things difficult in the middle perished meekly for 2 in the fourth over. Ambati Rayudu, who has had a rough tournament with the willow, walked out to bat next and anchor the innings. As Rayudu kept nudging the ball for ones and twos, Blizzard regularly found the boundaries, and some aggressive batting by the opener brought up MI’s fifty at the end of the sixth over.

Rayudu, however, could not convert his solid start into anything substantial and fell for 19 in the eight over off pacer Adam Dibble. At 62-2, James Franklin made his way to the centre to accompany Blizzard who was getting better and keeping the innings tempo up. Franklin too departed cheaply for 6, after he was trapped by spinner R van der Merwe. In the following over, Blizzard was also sent back to the hut by spinner Murali Kartik but by now he had already scored an impressive 54. With two wickets in back-to-back overs, MI was in a spot of bother at 93-4 after 13.

With 8 overs to go, it was up to Kieron Pollard to take MI to a respectable score. Big hitting Pollard kept pushing MI’s score with some lusty blows, but before he could do substantial damage, opposition skipper Alfonso Thomas shattered his stumps for 24 in the seventeenth over when MI’s score read 122-5. It was now on the young shoulders of debutant S K Yadav and the mercurial R Satish to take MI past 150.

The pair squeezed out 10 runs from the 18th over, 20 from the 19th over (3 fours and a six) and 8 runs of the last over to take MI’s score to 160-5 in their quota of 20 overs. Both batsmen remained not out, with Satish scoring 25 and Yadav 23.

Somerset got off to a horrible start, as their in-form opener Peter Trego was cleaned-up by a Lasith Malinga special for a duck in the very first over. Pinch-hitter R van der Merwe looked to continue his rich form by smashing two boundaries, but before he could pose any threat to MI, Malinga uprooted his stumps with another beauty. This left Somerset in a pickle at 17-2 at the end of the third over.

With experienced Craig Kieswetter and James Hildreth at the wicket, the English side still made a fight to recover and stay on course. The duo assessed the situation beautifully and with some smart and less risky strokes kept their scoreboard ticking. The pair was also quick to pounce on anything loose from the bowlers and executed their game-plan to a nicety, bringing up their team’s fifty in the eight over. A little later, they also reached their 50-run stand in the tenth over. This timely partnership brought Somerset right back into the game. Meanwhile, MI needed a breakthrough and Harbhajan Singh took the onus on himself to bowl the crucial fourteenth over, and bowled Hildreth out for 39. Somerset now needed 58 from 6 overs with 7 wickets in the bank.

Kieswetter was looking ominous at one end, as he reached his half-century in 41 balls. In the 17th over, he hammered 10 runs from 2 balls off Abu Nechim and further reduced the asking rate. Suddenly, Somerset was sneaking ahead, as they only needed 29 of the last 3. After a relatively frugal 18th over by Malinga, Harbhajan Singh made an inspiring bowling change by introducing Franklin to bowl the penultimate over. Franklin responded in fine fashion by picking up two crucial wickets of J Butler (19) and Kieswetter (62) and gave away only 7 runs to put MI on top.

At this stage, Somerset required 15 from Malinga’s over to make the finals. As always, Malinga held his nerve, conceded just 4 runs and picked up 2 more wickets. In the end, MI won the match by 10 runs. Malinga was rightfully chosen the Man of the Match for his figures of 4-0-20-4.

Mumbai Indians now play RCB in the finals tomorrow here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Shaun Pollock: ‘It is all about getting it right in the crunch games’

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:07:37 GMT

Chennai, October 6, 2011: Shaun Pollock, mentor and bowling coach of the Mumbai Indians, has always eloquently expressed his views on the game. The former South African captain is pretty optimistic about MI’s chances in the semis. When quizzed about the treacherous wicket that MI will be playing on at the MA Chidambaram stadium, Pollock said, “Yes, it has been interesting, to say the least. It has behaved differently at different times. We have the experience of playing here, so we know what to expect. It remains to be seen how it will play out in our next game. That said, I think our experience will help us adapt better.”

Speaking of the batting performance of the MI top-order which has only impressed once during the MI versus Cape Cobras game this season, Pollock described the positive side of it. “The top-order has not clicked. They have at best been at 75 percent of their potential. It is exciting from our perspective because if we can get them all firing like the rained out game, we would have set ourselves up nicely. That said, Harbhajan and Malinga have contributed with the bat and that indicates our batting line-up is strong. At the end of the day, the key is all about getting it right in the semifinal and the final. If we can click together as a unit we will be very happy,” said the confident and hopeful bowling coach.

Pollock also exuded faith in Andrew Symonds’ ability to turn things around for the Mumbai Indians. “Andrew Symonds is an experienced guy. He has got a better chance of doing well with the experience and the ability he has. He has batted at a difficult No. 4 & 5 position, where you do not get many balls. But I know he is keen to perform and motivated to do well. I am sure he is thinking on those lines as well.”

Pollock was also quick to acknowledge Harbhajan’s role as a skipper and showered praises on the ‘turbanator’. “Bhajji has done really well. I think he is a person who thrives on responsibility - as a player and as a captain. He has been very calm, relaxed and focused. He has done really well with the bat as well, and has led from the front. I think a lot of credit goes to him in our success so far.”

MI vs. SS: Who will march into the finals?

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:36:09 GMT

Chennai, October 7, 2011: It is semi-final time in the Nokia Champions League T20 and Mumbai Indians will take on Group-B table toppers Somerset in the second semi-final here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium tomorrow. Being a knock-out affair, this game promises to be an exciting contest for the viewers on and off the ground. Both teams have had a similar run in the tournament so far, with two wins and one loss each. Having made it to maiden semifinals in the CLT20, both teams would be keen on moving up one step closer to glory.

While Somerset top-order batsmen have been scoring the bulk of the runs, MI’s top order batsmen have been a touch inconsistent thus far. Meanwhile, both sides have been bowling impressively. Both captains have been astute in their bowling changes. As far as fielding goes, both sides, especially Somerset, have been brilliant.

Come tomorrow, it will be a fresh start for both sides, especially as they appear more or less equal in all three departments. The side that holds its nerve and does the basics right will have a better chance of coming out on top. One thing is certain though; the Chennai crowd will be cheering for the men in blue. Will MI under Harbhajan Singh create a new history? Or will Somerset become the first English team to enter the CLT20 finals? Only time will tell.

Pitch: The wicket at the MA Chidambaram stadium continues to baffle one and all with each game. After producing some low scoring games, the wicket really flattened out when NSW took on CSK early this week. One can only wonder how the track will play out in this knock-out game. “I believe we have got a good enough squad to compete in any conditions. For me, where we play is really irrelevant. It is all about turning up on that day and performing as well as you can for the team,” said an unfazed James Franklin when asked about the nature of the wicket in Chennai.

However, considering the significance of the match, it will be interesting to see what the toss-winning captain opts for.

Key Players: ‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man,’ goes the saying. Skipper Harbhajan Singh and Kieron Pollard are big match players and may once again rise to the occasion and make their presence felt. Both players have peaked at the right time in the tournament and have the ability to take MI to the finals single-handedly. The ‘MI Paltan’ will be hoping for Harbhajan and Pollard to have a good day at the office.

For the English team, South African all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe has been in terrific form with both the bat and the ball. Somerset has used him as a pinch-hitter and the tactic has paid rich dividends. Van der Merwe is the second leading run-getter for his side with 169 runs from five innings, at a respectable T20 average of 33.80. He has also been providing his team with regular breakthroughs and has been a livewire in the field. Come tomorrow, MI will be keen on halting his dream run in the competition.

Interesting facts & figures: Kieron Pollard is the leading run getter for MI this season, with 97 runs from four innings. On the bowling front, pacer Abu Nechim is the leading wicket taker with six wickets in three innings.

For Somerset, opener Peter Trego is the leading run getter with 175 runs in five innings, while skipper Alfonso Thomas leads the wicket-taking column with seven wickets in five innings.

MI Squad: Harbhajan Singh (c), Aiden Blizzard, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dilhara Fernando, James Franklin, Sarul Kanwar, Lasith Malinga, Abu Nechim, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, R Satish, T Suman and Andrew Symonds.

SS Squad: Alfonso Thomas (c), Jos Butler, Alex Barrow, Nick Compton, Adam Dibble, George Dockrell, Lewis Gregory, James Hildreth, Gemaal Hussain, Chris Jones, Murali Kartik, Craig Kieswetter, Steve Kirby, Craig Meschede, Roelof van der Merwe, Arul Suppiah, Steve Snell and Peter Trego.

Gritty NSW edge past MI in a low scoring game

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:45:31 GMT

Chennai, October 2, 2011: The New South Wales have kept their hopes alive in the tournament by defeating the Mumbai Indians in a keenly contested game here this evening at the MA Chidambaram stadium. After restricting MI to a below par score of 100, NSW began their chase with a big scare, but Steven Smith (45*) and Ben Rohrer (26*) kept their nerves to take their side to safety in the end. This was MI’s first loss of the tournament. Whether MI qualifies for the semis will now be determined by the outcome of other matches in the pool.

Early on, MI skipper Harbhajan Singh had no hesitation to bat first on a hot afternoon after winning the toss. However, the innings started at a disastrous note when Aiden Blizzard dragged a slow and low Stuart Clark delivery onto his stumps and departed for 1 on the fifth ball of the match. While Sarul Kanwar looked confident at the other end and executed a lovely back-foot drive of pacer Mitchell Starc, he soon departed in a soft dismissal a few deliveries later for 5, as he hit a gentle full-toss to the fielder at point. With both openers back in the hut, MI’s fortunes were further dented by Ambati Rayudu’s early exit and the innings was in tatters at 9-3 in the third over.

The two all-rounders, James Franklin and Kieron Pollard, probably did not expect to be batting so early in the innings and had to repeat their performance from the last game to rescue their side. However, Pollard could not come to terms with the pressure exerted by the opposition bowlers, lost patience and was cleaned-up by the young pacer Patrick Cummins for 8. At the end of 5 overs, MI score read 27-4, with all four batsmen dismissed for single figure scores.

Andrew Symonds then joined Franklin at the wicket and the pair had to really dig deep to provide some respectability to the team’s total. The duo stuck to the task and negotiated a few overs carefully, to the extent that they even played out a maiden in the seventh over. Slowly, both batsmen started rotating the strike by running hard between the wickets. They were also successful in finding the fence on a few occasions. MI’s fifty was up in the twelfth over, but the 23-run stand between the pair was broken after Symonds was bowled by spinner O’Keefe for 9. After 12, the MI score read 51-5.

R Satish, the next batsman, came out with positive intent and tried accelerating the score with consecutive boundaries of M Henriques in the thirteenth over, taking MI’s score to 61. But he too was soon undone by the slowness of the wicket for 14 in the sixteenth over. Meanwhile, Franklin batted sensibly at the other end and pushed MI’s score closer to the hundred-mark. With a few lusty blows, Harbhajan did his bit to boost the score but was run-out for 15 in the last over of the innings, as MI slumped to a total of 100-7. Franklin remained unbeaten on 42.

Although NSW only needed 101 for victory, it was by no means going to be easy on a wicket that was playing a few tricks. And NSW’s reply too got off to a rather shaky start, as they lost their openers Shane Watson (3) and David Warner (12) in the second over to pacer Abu Nechim, with the score board reading 16 for the loss of two wickets. In the following over, Lasith Malinga exploited the conditions and deceived skipper Simon Katich with a fuller, slower-one for a duck. NSW was now wobbling at 18-3 after 3.

Wickets in a heap meant that NSW had to curb their natural instincts and look for ones and twos. But MI bowlers were drying up the runs with some disciplined bowling and this strategy gave MI another breakthrough, as D Smith was caught behind off the bowling of Ahmed for 8. In the very next over, Yuzvendra Chahal was lucky to get the wicket of M Henriques for a duck, with NSW having lost half their side with only 28 on the board. They still needed 73 from 83. The match was nicely poised and indicated a close finish.

The last recognized batting pair of Steven Smith and Ben Rohrer at the crease had a huge job in their hands to see their team through. Not having much experience of playing on such wickets, it was a daunting task. However, the pair assessed the situation to a nicety and adjusted their game accordingly. The duo smartly ran between the wickets and also took advantage of the poor deliveries. With some sensible batting, they brought up their 50 partnership and inched closer to the total, as NSW needed 17 from 30. In the end, they managed to cross the line in the seventeenth over with five wickets in hand.

Steven Smith was rightfully awarded the Man of the Match for his brilliant innings of 45 off 47.

MI to face NSW in a key contest

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:32:53 GMT

Chennai, October 1, 2011: Although Mumbai Indians are the (Group A) table toppers with five points, they have yet to confirm a place in the semi-finals. That makes their face-off against the 2009 champions New South Wales here tomorrow at the MA Chidambaram stadium an interesting contest. In fact, with the tournament at its half-way mark, all teams in this pool have a realistic chance of qualifying for the next stage. Given the tight situation, the mantra for both teams will be: Go out. Win the next match and progress ahead.

After losing their opening match against Cape Cobras, NSW have done well to win their next match against Trinidad & Tobago in a super-over. While their high-profile players, such as skipper Simon Katich, David Warner and Shane Watson, are yet to fire, and their bowling has lacked the usual punch, they would be thrilled with the performance of all-rounder Moses
Henriques who bailed them out of trouble in the last game. Also, having played their last two games in Chennai, NSW would by now be acclimatized to the extreme conditions.

Meanwhile, MI would be eager to keep their winning streak going to safely advance to the next stage. They would be a confident unit after their top and middle-order came to party last evening. Considering that most NSW players are not very comfortable playing slow-bowling, skipper Harbhajan Singh and company could hold the key to tomorrow’s game.

Pitch: The track at the MA Chidambaram continues to offer assistance to the spin bowlers. Also, the batsmen are not entirely comfortable with the two-paced nature of the wicket. Going by the previous games, a score around the 140-150 mark could be considered a par score in this game. With a 4-pm start, it will be interesting to see what the captains decide after the flip of the coin.

Key Players: MI will be delighted with Kieron Pollard’s performance of last evening. After a few quiet games, the big man came out firing and launched an attack on the opposition with some brutal hitting. Also, who can forget Pollard’s heroics with the willow against NSW in the inaugural edition of the CLT20? Playing for his home team Trinidad & Tobago, Pollard smashed an 18-ball 54 and had set-up a memorable victory for them! The men in blue will surely have strong memories of that game and a repeat performance could mean curtains for NSW.

Among NSW players, Shane Watson is perhaps the most dominating all-rounder in world cricket today. He has been in terrific form over the last couple of years and can be devastating in the limited overs format. Although Watson has got off to a couple of quick starts in the tournament, he has not converted those into anything substantial thus far. He would be hoping to come good in this crunch game. He also has the uncanny ability to break partnerships with his thoughtful bowling. MI would be keen to see him off as quickly as possible.

Interesting Stats & Figures: Dark horse Lasith Malinga has the highest batting average for MI with 52.00, at a staggering strike-rate of 200.00. He also is one of the leading wicket takers with 3 wickets.
For NSW, Henriques averages 36.00 with the bat and has an impressive bowling average of 15.66.

NSW Squad: Simon Katich (c), Pat Cummins, Stuart Clark, Nathan Hauritz, Moises Henriques, Josh Hazlewood, Philip Hughes, Nic Maddison, Steve O’keefe, Ben Roher, Steve Smith, Daniel Smith, Michael Starc, David Warner and Shane Watson.

Sarul Kanwar: ‘Will try to lay a good foundation for others to build on’

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 15:30:05 GMT

Chennai, October 1, 2011: Sarul Kanwar made his debut for the Mumbai Indians last evening with a knock even he would remember for the rest of his cricketing career. It was a dream debut for the Punjab batsman who played his natural game and gave MI a rollicking start in the abandoned match against Cape Cobras. MI would obviously want him to do an encore going ahead…

MumbaiIndians.com caught up with him for an exclusive chat. Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

Talk us through your debut and the innings you played…

I was waiting for my opportunity to come. Although I did not get a game in the IPL, I was preparing hard, keeping my focus on the game and praying for the right opportunity. Finally, it arrived yesterday and I was aware that it was a big opportunity, I wanted to prove myself and I was determined to make full use of the chance given to me. When I went out to bat, I was clear in my mind that I would play my natural game. And I am delighted it paid off.

Were you disappointed on narrowly missing out on your maiden half-century?

Honestly, I was not too disappointed with the shot I played. I was pretty confident about that shot. It is just that I could not clear the fence. Besides, at the end of the day, it is a team game and I want to do my best for my side.

How much has Sachin Tendulkar helped you grow as a batsman?

Sachin Tendulkar has really helped me a lot right from the IPL days. I had a few minor problems with my leg-guard, feet movements and grip. And I received invaluable tips from him. He helped me make some alterations. Between the IPL and CLT20, I have worked hard on my batting by following his advice and I am happy with the outcome.

How much do you relish opening the innings for your side?

I have always been an opener in domestic cricket. I love to open the innings and go after the bowlers. Also, the new-ball comes onto the bat nicely. That makes shot making easy.

Can we expect the same aggressive approach from you in the next match as well?

Well, it all depends. I will look to play according to the situation, but if there is a loose ball on offer, I will go after it. Again, I would want to stay there, be positive and lay a good foundation for the other batsmen to build on.

MI and CC share points as rain plays spoilsport

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 10:46:21 GMT

Bangalore, September 30, 2011: The Mumbai Indians top-order came out firing on all cylinders against a strong Cape Cobras bowling line-up and amassed a total of 176-5 in their allotted 20 overs here at the Chinnaswamy stadium today. Kieron Pollard was the top scorer with 58 off 37 deliveries (Six 4s & three 6s). Unfortunately, a heavy downpour starting immediately after the MI innings washed out what could have been an exciting chase by the Cobras. MI is still on top in Group-A with five points but will have to win another game to cement its place in the semi-finals.

Early on, Cobras skipper Justin Kemp inserted MI into bat after winning the toss and his pace bowlers initially responded by bowling some probing line and length to the MI openers. But it did not take long for Aiden Blizzard and debutant Sarul Kanwar to break the shackles, as they launched a counter attack. Kanwar in particular unleashed himself by lofting Charl Langeveldt over the mid-wicket region for a couple of sixes. He also took off-spinner JP Duminy to the cleaners. Some explosive hitting by the pair brought up MI’s 50 in five overs. In fact the bowling changes did not bother debutant Kanwar who kept hitting hard and was looking increasingly dangerous. However, before he could get to his maiden fifty, he was dismissed by Robin Peterson for a brilliant 45 off 21, bringing an end to the opening stand of 65. Just when it looked like MI was nicely poised and on course for a big total, Blizzard and Ambati Rayudu fell in quick succession. At the end of 10, MI score was 75-3.

Big hitting all-rounders James Franklin and Pollard then steadied the ship with some watchful batting. After playing out a few deliveries, the Trinidadian exploded by hitting two massive sixes off Duminy in the 12th over to push the score to 95-3 after 12. As Pollard kept finding the fence, Franklin too was not to be left behind, as he hit Peterson for two consecutive sixes at the start of the 15th over. Kemp, then brought back his experienced pacer Langeveldt to stem the flow of runs, but Pollard had other ideas and blasted 18 runs off the over. The onslaught from the pair finally came to an end in the 17th over after Franklin fell to Kemp for 18. MI score was now reading 145-4 after 17.
Meanwhile, Pollard reached his half-century in fine fashion by steering the ball between third-man and point for a boundary. In an attempt to further push up the score, he fell for a brilliant 58 in the 19th over with MI’s score well past the par score of 165. Andrew

Symonds and skipper Harbhajan Singh then managed to squeeze 8 runs of the last over and took the total to a healthy 176-5. The rain came in hard even as the players were leaving the ground.

After waiting for nearly an hour, the authorities declared the match as abandoned and split the points between the two contenders. The Mumbai Indians next play the New South Wales on Sunday, October 2 at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.

Semi-final berth at stake for MI

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:06:59 GMT

Bangalore, September 29, 2011: Despite playing with a depleted side, the Mumbai Indians have done well in both their games in the tournament thus far. Sitting pretty at the top in their pool with four points from two matches, MI can now seal their semi-final spot by beating the Cape Cobras here tomorrow at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Although MI have not been at their best, they have managed to register two crucial wins, which now gives them a strong chance of qualifying to the next stage. On the other hand, the Cobras started off their CLT20 campaign by comprehensively beating New South Wales, and lost a close battle to the defending champs Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday.

The Cobras have a well balanced side, with several match-winners in it. Their side also has many players who have represented South Africa internationally. Seasoned hands like Herschelle Gibbs, Owais Shah and skipper Justin Kemp bring a lot of experience to their side. Besides their quality batting and bowling, their athletic ability in the field makes them a formidable unit. With naturally talented fielders in the squad, runs are not easy to come by for any opposition. That said, the team could be vulnerable to top-class spin bowling and MI could capitalize on that.

Meanwhile, MI would want their top-order to come firing. The top-order batsmen have not been at their best and, with the semi-final spot at stake, it is the ideal time for them to strike gold.

The Pitch: The pitch behaved a little differently when MI & T&T played their match a few days back. Perhaps, it was an aberration. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what the wicket has on offer for teams this time around. However, it should come as no surprise if the curator throws up a flat wicket again. If that happens, one can expect a high scoring game.

Key Players: Given the fact that South African teams struggle to come to terms with good spin bowling, Harbhajan Singh’s role will be crucial. The skipper is coming off a good spell from the last game and would now be looking to spin a web around the men from the Western Cape. In the batting department, all-rounders Kieron Pollard and Andrew Symonds need to come to the party to boost the team’s total, and morale.

For the Cobras, Herschelle Gibbs’ role at the top will be vital. He has been a dangerous player over the years, with an impressive record in the limited overs format. Gibbs has already registered a half-century in the tournament and would be going all-out against MI. However, it would be interesting to see how he negotiates the bowling of Lasith Malinga. On the bowling front, Dale Steyn with his pace and ability to swing the ball can prove to be a handful.

CC Squad: Justin Kemp (c), JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Rory Kleinveldt, Richard Levi, Charl Langeveldt, Johann Louw, Justin Ontong, Andrew Puttick, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Michael Rippon, Dale Steyn, Owais Shah and Dane Vilas.

Ambati Rayudu: ‘We hope Malinga does not have to bat again!’

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:11:37 GMT

Bangalore, September 29, 2011: Ambati Rayudu played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians’ victory in their last encounter against Trinidad & Tobago. He also displayed great temperament by playing a mature innings in a humdinger of a match and would be one of the mainstays of the MI batting order going ahead in the tournament.

That said, the wicket-keeper batsman admitted that he was disappointed at not finishing the job himself. “Obviously, I was disappointed getting out at that point, but I was confident we would get through,”?he remarked. Yuzvendra Chahal ensured that his confidence was not without basis, scoring the two runs needed off the final delivery to seal a one-wicket victory. “We are really happy with two wins in two games,”?Rayudu noted, adding, “I’m sure there are a lot of areas where we can improve ourselves. It is a positive sign that we all want to get better.”

Although the master batsman Sachin Tendulkar is unable to take the field due to injury, his presence in the MI camp has been highly encouraging for the players. Stressing on Tendulkar’s encouragement from the sidelines, Rayudu said, “Obviously, we miss Sachin sir in the middle, but we have him in the dressing room, helping all of us get our focus and giving us all the needed help and guidance. It is a great asset to have him around us.”

Though the MI top-order is yet to perform to the expectations, a confident Rayudu feels it is not a matter of great concern and says, “We are disappointed that it has not clicked in both the games. It is a positive sign that we have won both games without the top-order clicking. I am sure that if we click as a batting unit, we will be winning games more easily.”

Rayudu feels that Lasith Malinga has played a significant role with the bat in both victories, and the Sri Lankan, he reveals, has been ribbing his teammates about it. “He is actually pulling the legs of all batsmen,” he says laughing. “The way he has played in both the games is really great. We hope he does not have to bat again!”

Bhajji, Malinga pull off a win with a Rayudu trick

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:11:03 GMT

Bangalore, September 26, 2011: In a cliff hanger of a match that see-sawed between win and loss with every ball, first it was a Malinga six that brought MI really close to victory, followed by a crucial run out, and then another run out, before Chahal finally hit the two winning runs on the last ball to bring MI home. Frankly, the Mumbai Indians narrowly escaped defeat against a highly spirited team from Trinidad & Tobago this evening here at the Chinnaswamy stadium.

Early on in the game, the MI bowlers managed to restrict the opposition to a modest score of 98, with some clinically precise bowling. Despite a brilliant show by bowlers, MI nearly squandered the game with some reckless batting, to be ultimately rescued by young leggie Yuzvendra Chahal on the last ball of the match. The lucky victory puts MI on top of the Group-A table, with four points from two matches.

After winning the toss, Trinidad & Tobago skipper Daren Ganga, confident of his batsmen, opted to bat first. And it looked to be a good decision until Lasith Malinga once again delivered a well disguised, slower-one in the 3rd over to get rid of the opener Adrian Barath for 11. In came the flamboyant Darren Bravo and immediately made his intentions clear by lofting spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for half-a-dozen. His partner at the other end, Lendl Simmons, was also striking the ball confidently, but the alert MI fielders capitalized on some sloppy running by him and got their second breakthrough, with T&T at 41-2 in 5.

Skipper Harbhajan Singh came in to bowl the 6th over and Bravo greeted him by depositing the first ball into the stands. However, a brilliant catch in the outfield by R Satish ended in the wicket of Daren Ganga (5) off James

Franklin’s bowling and T&T were 57-3 after 7. It was then the turn of the turbanator who won the last game for MI with his willow to produce magic with the ball, as he ran-through the T&T middle-order by dismissing Denesh Ramdin (0), Bravo (18) and Sherwin Ganga (2) in the 8th,10th and 12th over, respectively. After 12 overs, T &T were tottering at 78-6.

Harbhajan was then spot-on with his decision making, and brought back his trump card Malinga to clean-up the lower-order. Malinga responded by trapping K Cooper plumb in front for a duck. The following delivery also yielded a wicket, as pacer Ravi Rampaul was run-out by Aiden Blizzard. In the end, the team from the Caribbean capitulated and was bowled out for a paltry score of 98, with 22 balls remaining. For MI, Harbhajan Singh had the most impressive figures of 4-0-22-3, with Malinga following with figures of 4-0-22-2.

In reply, MI negotiated the first two overs watchfully and opener Blizzard fell prey to the leggie S Badree for two in the 3rd over. The required run-rate was well within reach but two wickets in the following over, of T Suman (10) and Franklin (0), by Rampaul pushed MI on the back-foot. After four overs, Mumbai Indians were 14-3 and needed 85 from 16 overs.

As MI was in a spot of bother, the situation demanded Ambati Rayudu and Andrew Symonds to bat sensibly and carry the team through. However, Symonds was a touch late in reacting to a full-length delivery from Rampaul and was cleaned up for no score. With his wicket, Rampaul was on a hat-trick, and facing the music was none other than fellow Trinidadian Kieron Pollard. Although Pollard did well to counter the hat-trick ball, he did not last long and was out-foxed by S Narine for 9.

With half the side back in the hut, MI needed a run a ball to win the game. R Satish and Rayudu then got together and formed a decent partnership by nudging the ball around and rotating the strike. In an attempt for a big hit, Satish holed out to short-midwicket for 14 at this juncture. Skipper Harbhajan Singh then walked in to once again see his side though. But it was not to be as he was soon run-out by Adrian Barath for 9.

The match finally went down to the wire, and MI needed 11 for a win, with just 6 balls to go. Malinga once again hit a timely six over long-off and brought down the target to 4 from 4. It seemed that MI would coast home from there, but there was still a twist left in the tale, as Malinga (15) and Rayudu (36) were run-out on successive deliveries. With two needed off the last delivery, Chahal, with a little help from the opposition skipper (who had left the 30 yard leg-side open), tucked the ball and scampered home for the winning run.

Despite T&T not coming out on top, T&T pacer Rampaul was adjudged as the ‘man of the match’ for his splendid spell of 4-0-17-3.

The Mumbai Indians next play Cape Cobras on September 30 at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

MI keen on capitalizing early momentum

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:07:08 GMT

Bangalore, September 25, 2011: With a gutsy performance in their last encounter, the Mumbai Indians have got off to a flying start in the CLT20. Come tomorrow, the depleted and yet high-on-spirit MI side will be eager to consolidate on their fairytale start, as they take on Trinidad & Tobago here at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

MI already has two points on the board, and a victory against T&T will keep them at the top of the table. On the other hand, the former T20 Champions from the Caribbean would also be looking to kick off their CLT20 campaign in style. The 2009 finalists have come through the qualifying stages unbeaten and would be cock-a-hoop as a bunch going ahead.

Teams from the Caribbean have a natural tendency to play an exciting brand of cricket that thrills everyone watching the game. The T&T side has shown glimpses of its genius in the inaugural edition of the CLT20, and has built a strong fan base in India. Apart from a flamboyant batting style, their success revolves around some deceptive slow bowling. Going by their performance in the qualifying stages, they tend by use their slow bowlers at regular intervals to exert pressure on the opposition. Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree and Kevon Cooper have been able to exploit the conditions to a nicety with some thoughtful bowling. Although their pacer Ravi Rampaul has wickets to show in his column, the slow bowlers have been very effective. It would hardly be a surprise if they employ the same tactic against MI.

Meanwhile, MI would want their middle order to fire and would be banking on their skipper Harbhajan Singh and rookie Yuzvendra Chahal to cause trouble for the T&T batsmen. After their impressive win, MI will be coming into the match oozing with confidence. They played like a cohesive unit last evening and if they get their basics right, MI will be a team hard to beat.

The Pitch: The pitch at the Chinnaswamy generally remains flat. Run making is not very difficult, as the pitch offers true bounce and the ball comes on to the bat nicely. As we saw in the match between Warriors and Royal Challengers Bangalore, a target of 160-170 is highly achievable. Therefore, it is going to be a tough call for the captain winning the toss.

Key Players: Kieron Pollard’s experience with T&T could come in handy for MI. Pollard hails from T&T and may be having an ace up his sleeve against his old mates for tomorrow’s game. What is certain is that the clash between Pollard and his former mates will be interesting to watch.

The prodigiously talented Darren Bravo will be one of the batsmen to watch out for in this year’s CLT20. He has the complete Caribbean flair in this batting and can prove dangerous. Also, he is in decent touch after guiding his team to victory in the qualifiers. T & T will be hoping for Bravo to shine in their league matches.

MI Squad: Harbhajan Singh (c), Aiden Blizzard, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dilhara Fernando, James Franklin, David Jacobs, Sarul Kanwar, Lasith Malinga, Abu Nechim, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, R Satish, T Suman and Andrew Symonds.

T & T Squad: Daren Ganga (c), Samuel Badree, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Kevon Cooper, Rayad, Emrit, Shannon Gabriel, Sherwin Ganga, Jason Mohammed, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, William Perkins, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul and Lendl Simmons.

Malinga and Bhajji do a role reversal

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 01:34:32 GMT

Chennai, September 24, 2011: Rising to the occasion in a near desperate situation at the MA Chidambaram stadium this evening, toe-breaker Lasith Malinga and spinner-turned-batsman Harbhajan Singh extracted victory from the jaws of defeat in a role reversal of a lifetime. Malinga walked in when MI was down to the wire against the defending champs Chennai Super Kings and changed the face of the game with two lusty blows early on in his innings of 37 not out. A determined Bhajji supported his valiant attempt from the other end with his own brand of aggressive batting, as the duo sealed the match in MI’s favour. The three-wicket victory now gives MI the crucial two points going ahead in the tournament.

Early on, home skipper MS Dhoni won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on a wicket that looked a touch tricky. CSK openers Murali Vijay and the in-form batsman Michael Hussey were initially watchful of some disciplined bowling from MI. In fact, a Malinga special in the 5th over uprooted Vijay’s (8) stump and gave a good breakthrough to MI. With 28 runs on the board, Suresh Raina walked to the middle and manoeuvred the ball around the field to pinch ones and twos along with his partner. At the 9th over, Chennai was well placed at 63-1 and both batsmen looked poised to accelerate the scoring. However, Kieron Pollard brought back the visitors into the game with a somewhat lucky stumping of Raina for 18. After 10 overs, CSK was 67-2.

S Badrinath was the next man in and played around Hussey who was looking very comfortable at the crease. The pair kept the scoreboard ticking with some smart batting. Hussey was quick to pounce on anything loose and registered yet another impressive T20 half-century. A little later, in an attempt to clear the boundary, Badrinath holed out to long-off for 16.

Meanwhile, Hussey went on rampage hitting a flurry of boundaries to give his team the required impetus. Hussey’s brilliant knock came to an end in the 19th over for 81 off 57 when he tried to loft pacer Abu Nechim over long-off. In the end, a breezy innings of 22 off 13 from Dhoni took CSK’s total to an above par 158-4 in their allotted 20 overs. For MI, Nechim picked up 2 wickets, while Malinga and Pollard grabbed one apiece.

In pursuit of a stiff target, MI openers Aiden Blizzard and David Jacobs got off to a decent start by hammering boundaries with real purpose. After the first 4 overs, the visitors were 34 without a loss and were well on course to chase down the total. However, the departure of Jacobs (18) and Blizzard (28) in quick succession put MI on the back foot. At the end of 7 overs, MI was 52-2.

The two new batsmen at the crease, T Suman and Ambati Rayudu, needed to both stabilize the innings and keep up with the run-rate. However, the pair did not come to terms with the pressure created by the opposition and fell rather cheaply in the 8th and 9th over, respectively. Andrew Symonds walked in with huge expectations at this stage, but he was soon undone by some clever bowling by Dwayne Bravo for 3. At the half-way mark, MI had lost half its side and was reeling at 67-5, with 93 needed from 60.

Obviously, MI’s hopes were strongly pinned on a Pollard miracle at this stage. R Satish showed some intent with a mighty six and a cheeky four at this stage but fell prey to a nicely disguised carrom-ball from R Ashwin for 14. With 58 needed from the last 5 overs, Pollard started off the 16th over with a bang, by dismissing a short ball from Albie Morkel. However, he too fell in the same over and could not get his team home. With Pollard’s dismissal MI’s hopes nearly evaporated.

But as they say, ‘it’s not over until it’s over’. Malinga with two meaty blows in the 17th over brought MI right back into the game. The equation now was very much gettable for MI was 32 from 18 deliveries. As Malinga kept going hammer and tongs, skipper Harbhajan Singh rotated the strike deftly. In the end, it all came down to the last over with MI needing 11. The duo finished the match in grand style with a ball to spare. Malinga remained not out on 37, while the gritty turbanator scored 19 not out and walked away with the winning run.

Malinga was rightly chosen as the man of the match for his miraculous efforts with the bat. On his teammate’s achievement, the skipper said, “Malinga played the innings of his life." In a post match interview, team owner Mrs. Nita Ambani said, “I have great faith in my team. I am here to support the boys and I am confident that they would do well.”

The Mumbai Indians next play Trinidad & Tobago on September 26 at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

IPL giants MI and CSK to lock horns

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:37:38 GMT

Chennai, September 23, 2011: A blockbuster clash is on the cards here tomorrow at the MA Chidambaram stadium when Mumbai Indians take on the defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the Nokia Champions League T20. Both teams have a huge reputation in the IPL and would be keen on putting their stamp on tomorrow’s game.

However, while the home team has a full strength squad barring the Kiwi pacer Tim Southee who opted out at the last minute due to injury, the Mumbai Indians are a wounded side in more ways than one. On one hand, MI has been severely hampered by injuries to key players, including skipper Sachin Tendulkar, whereas on the other they would be desperately looking to beat their arch rivals to regain their tempo. Thankfully for MI, they have just had a very good training camp coming into the tournament. It would also do well to remember that MI has the liberty to field five foreign players and this might help their cause.

Given the structure and the significance of the tournament, both teams have been placed in a tough pool with other top teams in New South Wales, Cape Cobras and Trinidad & Tobago. Only two sides from each group qualify for the semi-finals. So, it will be vital for both sides to start their CLT20 campaign with a win.

HEAD- to-HEAD: MI– 4 CSK– 4

When the two teams met in IPL-4 at the same venue, the Mumbai Indians came out victorious and settled the scores. Although it is even-stevens at the moment, come tomorrow and the equation changes for them.

The Pitch: As we saw during the IPL, the wickets were dry and assisted the spinners to a great deal. That said, the pitch also offered some true bounce initially and the batsmen could make runs without much trouble. The Indian cricket season has just started and one can expect the wicket to be a lot fresher. But it will be interesting to see what the captain does after winning the toss.

Key Players: With the experience and class of Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma missing at the top, Ambati Rayudu will be one of the key batsmen in the MI line-up. Rayudu has done very well with the bat in the past and MI would be banking on him to come good. Meanwhile, Lasith Malinga will have to shoulder the main wicket taking duties for MI.

Michael Hussey has been in fantastic touch with the willow over the last three weeks. After a dream run in the Test series against Sri Lanka, the southpaw would be on a high and keen on carrying his rich form into the match against MI. On the bowling front, CSK will heavily rely on seamer Doug Bollinger and the crafty off-spinner R Ashwin to provide the breakthroughs.

CSK Squad: MS Dhoni, Srikkanth Anirudha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Doug Bollinger, Dwayne Bravo, Subramaniam Badrinath, Michael Hussey, Shadab Jakati, Nuwan Kulasekara, Albie Morkel, Suraj Randiv, Suresh Raina, Scott Styris, Wriddhiman Saha and Murali Vijay.

Mumbai Indians marred by injuries

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:03:08 GMT

CLT20 Technical Committee approves a number of changes in the MI squad…

Chennai, September 22, 2011: It is now officially confirmed that several key players in the Mumbai Indians team will have to give the upcoming Nokia Champions League Twenty20 a miss due to injuries. After receiving appropriate medical documentation, the Nokia Champions League Twenty20 Technical Committee has approved a number of replacements in the Mumbai Indians squad today. Andrew Symonds, Dilhara Fernando, R Satish, Sarul Kanwar and Abu Nechim Ahmed will be replacing Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ali Murtuza, Munaf Patel and Dhawal Kulkarni. The MI Paltan will be dearly missing stars like Tendulkar and Sharma this tournament.

Additionally, the CLT20 Technical Committee has also ruled out Aditya Tare and Pawan Suyal of the 23-strong Mumbai Indians squad after receiving their medical reports. As per CLT20 rules that restrict teams to include a maximum of four overseas players in any one match, the Mumbai Indians would be unable to field a team in case another Indian player were to be ruled out on account of injury. That mentioned, the CLT20 Governing Council, taking into consideration the integrity of the tournament, has permitted Mumbai Indians to select up to five overseas players in any one game, provided all these players were contracted to play in the 2011 Season of the IPL.

The current Mumbai Indians squad consists of 14 players. However they may add another player to their squad from the remaining injury-free players if they so choose. The Mumbai Indians will play their first match of the Nokia Champions League Twenty20 against Chennai Super Kings at 8pm IST this Saturday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Mumbai Indians Squad for the Nokia Champions League Twenty20: Harbhajan Singh, Lasith Malinga, Andrew Symonds, James Franklin, Aiden Blizzard, Davy Jacobs, Kieron Pollard, Dilhara Fernando, R. Satish, Ambati Rayudu, Tirumalasetti Suman, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sarul Kanwar and Abu Nechim Ahmed.

Kieron Pollard: ‘I am here to play for Mumbai Indians’

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:55:48 GMT

Chennai, September 21, 2011: The charismatic Caribbean all-rounder Kieron Pollard will be one of the pivotal figures in the Mumbai Indians squad going ahead in the Nokia T20 Champions League.

Considering Pollard’s credentials in the shorter versions of the game, the Mumbai Indians will strongly have their hopes pinned on him to make an impact.

Pollard too is determined to make his mark in the Champions League and help his team win games. Speaking to Mumbaiindians.com on pre-tournament preparations, Pollard said, “Our preparations have been pretty good. Although I joined the team a couple of days ago, the boys have been preparing hard at camps in Baroda and Bangalore and looking forward to some competitive matches coming up in the Champions League. Hopefully, we can go out in the middle and perform to our abilities.”

The Mumbai Indians have suffered a major setback after skipper Sachin Tendulkar was ruled out of the tournament due to injury. On being quizzed about Tendulkar’s absence and the team’s new game plan, Pollard said, “Obviously, Mr. Sachin is very important to our team. Having said that I must also add that he has passed on his knowledge to the youngsters in the team for all these years in the IPL and all guys have learnt a lot from him. We have four games in the preliminary league. When you get an opportunity, you do well for your team and yourself. If you do not get an opportunity, so be it. At the end of the day, when you are going back to your room and looking at yourself in the mirror, you know if you are giving your best. We do have and will have a game plan from the first game and see how our plan works, and try to improve with each and every game as we go forward.”

Pollard has represented a few teams in the international circuit in the T20 format and given his stature in international cricket and the value he brings to a team as a cricketer, many teams across the globe would love to include him in their scheme of things. When asked if he faces any dilemma, Pollard emphatically said, “I do not see any dilemma and I play for Mumbai Indians. MI has been the only team I have been thinking about and I have already played for Mumbai. I am here to play for Mumbai Indians.”

Well, as far as the MI Paltan and fans go, they will be hoping for Pollard to fire on all cylinders to take the team where it belongs.

Low key start to the battle for T20 supremacy

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:05:54 GMT

Hyderabad, September 19, 2011: The Champions League started here today on a relatively low note, with KKR and T&T registering their first wins in Pool A and Pool B, respectively. The matches evoked mixed public response, with the KKR match drawing more fans than the other one. As the top club sides began their fight for T20 supremacy, the fanfare usually associated with the IPL-style T-20 cricket was conspicuously absent, even as there was some fine cricket on display. The atmospherics have also been affected because India has recently been home to some of the best cricketing events in 2011. With the mega success of the World Cup and IPL-4, Indian cricket fans have been treated to some high-voltage action this year and everything else seems to pale in contrast.

However, considering the rich appetite of the cricket fanatics, there is more action on offer and they can look forward to another cricketing extravaganza in the form of Nokia Champions League T20. In fact, the ball has already started rolling with the qualifying stages. Here on, fans will be especially watching the progress of Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kolkata Knight Riders, the fourth IPL entrant, have already won their first qualifier and will be looking to cement their place in the elite Top-10.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians have been preparing hard to have a go at the prestigious trophy. They started their campaign on September 3 in Baroda with a training camp and then moved on to Bangalore for a practice game against a local side. The Mumbai Indians are currently in Chennai gearing up for their first encounter against the defending IPL champs Chennai Super Kings.

Asked about the team’s preparations, MI head coach Robin Singh said, "We are a tough side and our players will take the game forward from where we finished in the last season of the IPL. They are ready to bring into play the same qualities, skills and energy they have displayed thus far, and those are the ones that will count here too."

"I am hoping we will do very well. We also had a camp in Bangalore before reaching Chennai. It was very useful and the players were able to gel together," he added.

Kiwi all-rounder James Franklin who played a crucial role for MI in the last season of the IPL is also looking forward to the upcoming tournament. Speaking to Mumbaiindians.com, Franklin said, “I am happy I could contribute for my team in the IPL, and I would like to do better in the Champions League. I will be happy to contribute with the bat as well as the ball, and help my team win matches. I am keenly looking forward to the match against Chennai Super Kings next week."

Meanwhile, there are lingering concerns involving injuries to a few key players in all IPL teams and fans are awaiting official announcements from respective team managements. Thankfully, all teams also have a number of young and talented players who can fill in and prove their mettle.

Mumbai Indians CLT20 squad announced

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:05:42 GMT

The MI management announced the squad for the upcoming Champions League T20, 2011 on August 18, 2011. The selection represents a lethal combination of experienced (read: some of the best cricketing names) and upcoming (read: explosive) cricketers who, together, comprise a very strong squad, raring to take on the best T20 teams in the world.

In the batting department, MI has the incredible fire power of Kieron Pollard, Aiden Blizzard and Davy Jacobs (from the International circuit), as well as Ambati Rayudu, T. Suman and Suryakumar Yadav (from the domestic circuit) to complement the craftsmanship of Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. The bowling, led by Bhajji, Malinga and Munaf, can also play havoc in the opposition camps, with spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ali Murtaza thrown in for good measure.

All-rounders like James Franklin, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Harbhajan Singh are all well known to up the ante in crunch T20 games and MI fans will be looking up to their favorite players to burn the field.

Team: Sachin Tendulkar (Captain), Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma, Munaf Patel, Kieron Pollard, Aiden Blizzard, Davy Jacobs, Lasith Malinga, James Franklin, Ambati Rayudu, T. Suman, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ali Murtaza, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav.

Player’s squad announced for Champions League T20 in India

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:13:24 GMT

Eight top cricketers of the world, who were initially selected to represent more than one team, have decided to represent their foreign teams in the Champions League Twenty20

The IPL franchises will be playing Champions League T20 with almost their IPL4 squad. Most of the international players have decided playing for IPL team in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20. Eight international players were originally nominated for two squads and were given 48 hours to decide which team they would play for before the final squads.

Brad Haddin, Doug Bollinger and Brett Lee have all chosen to play for their respective IPL franchise over New South Wales; Warriors will miss Jacques Kallis and Davy Jacobs to IPL teams; Trinidad & Tobago will be without the services of Dwayne Bravo, who will play for Chennai Super Kings, while Kieron Pollard and Aiden Blizzard will be representing Mumbai Indians squad.

Eleven of the thirteen teams have now announced their squads for the tournament, with the English counties who reach the Friends life t20 final to confirm their squads on August 27. The qualifying round for the Champions League begins on September 19, with the main tournament scheduled for September 23-October 9.

Gautam Gambhir, will lead Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad while MS Dhoni will lead Chennai Super Kings and Sachin Tendulkar will lead Mumbai Indians. Munaf Patel and Suresh Raina are the other players in the current India Test squad who will be involved in the Champions League. Mumbai Indians have also included Harbhajan Singh, who is currently under recuperating, as he had pull out after the second Test in England.

Squads:

Mumbai Indians: Aiden Blizzard, Yuzvendra Chahal, James Franklin, Davy Jacobs, Dhawal Kulkarni, Suryakumar Yadav, Lasith Malinga, Ali Murtaza, Munaf Patel, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, T Suman, Sachin Tendulkar

Cape Cobras: JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Justin Kemp, Rory Kleinveldt, Charl Langeveldt, Richard Levi, Johann Louw, Justin Ontong, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Andrew Puttick, Michael Rippon, Owais Shah, Dale Steyn, Dane Vilas

Warriors: Johan Botha, Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher, Andrew Birch, Colin Ingram, Justin Kreusch, Lyall Meyer, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell, Ashwell Prince, Jon-Jon Smuts, Kelly Smuts, Rusty Theron, Craig Thyssen, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Mayank Agarwal, S Aravind, Raju Bhatkal, AB de Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle, Arun Karthik, Virat Kohli, Mohammad Kaif, Abhimanyu Mithun, J Syed Mohammed, Dirk Nannes, Asad Pathan, Saurabh Tiwary Daniel Vettori

Chennai Super Kings: R Ashwin, S Badrinath, Doug Bollinger, Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni, Michael Hussey, Shadab Jakati, Albie Morkel, Suresh Raina, Suraj Randiv, Wriddhiman Saha, S Anirudha, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, M Vijay

Kolkata Knight Riders: Iqbal Abdulla, Shakib Al Hasan, L Balaji, Rajat Bhatia, Manvinder Bisla, Gautam Gambhir, Brad Haddin, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee, Eoin Morgan, Yusuf Pathan, Shami Ahmed, Ryan ten Doeschate, Manoj Tiwary, Jaidev Unadkat

New South Wales Blues: Stuart Clark, Patrick Cummins, Nathan Hauritz, Josh Hazelwood, Moises Henriques, Phillip Hughes, Simon Katich, Nic Maddinson, Steve O’Keefe, Ben Rohrer, Daniel Smith, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson

South Australia Redbacks: Cameron Borgas, Daniel Christian, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger, Nathan Lyon, Tim Ludeman, Aaron O’Brien, Gary Putland, Adil Rashid, Kane Richardson, Chadd Sayers, James Smith, Shaun Tait

Auckland : Andre Adams, James Adams, Michael Bates, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Roneel Hira, Gareth Hopkins, Anaru Kitchen, Bruce Martin, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Colin Munro, Daryl Tuffey, Rob Quiney, Lou Vincent

Trinidad & Tobago: Samuel Badree, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Kevon Cooper, Rayad Emrit, Daren Ganga, Sherwin Ganga, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Mohammed, Dave Mohammed, Sunil Narine, William Perkins, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons

Ruhuna: Mahela Udawatte, Dinesh Chandimal, Sanath Jayasuriya, Janaka Gunaratne, Milinda Siriwardana, TM Sampath, Yashodha Lanka, Shihan Kamileen, Amal Athulathmudali, Arosh Janoda, Shalika Karunanayake, Omesh Wijesiriwardene, Alankara Asanka Silv

MI snatch the match in a nail-biting thriller

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:42:15 GMT

Kolkata, May 22, 2011: A last over flourish by James Franklin (45*) and Ambati Rayudu (17*) enabled Mumbai Indians to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and stun Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets this evening at the Eden Gardens.

Early on, MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and chose to field first. His decision brought in an immediate reward in the wicket of S Goswami who was run-out for 1 in the 2nd over of the game. Abu Nechim next cleaned up home captain Gautam Gambhir for 8 and KKR was 30-2 after 4 overs. Manoj Tiwary joined Jacques Kallis, as the home side needed some stabilizing from the pair.

However, Tiwary had other ideas and took the attack to the bowlers, thereby upping the ante. Tiwary quickly blazed his way to a 35 off 22 and looked good for more but a superb direct-hit by Harbhajan Singh from short third-man returned him to the hut. It was a timely strike for MI and the KKR score was restricted to 68-3 after 9 overs. Meanwhile, Kallis stood solid at the other end and that gave Yusuf Pathan the leverage to go for big hits. Pathan was finally dismissed by James Franklin for 36 off 22 in the 16th over. Although Pathan could not stay until the end, the damage was already done.

With 4 overs to go, Kallis changed gears and hit three balls out of the park, putting KKR on course for a big score. However, in trying to get a hat-trick of sixes, Kallis fell to Franklin for 59 off 42. The 18th over yielded 19 runs and the KKR score read 156-5. Eventually, 19 runs from the last two overs took them to a challenging total of 175-7. Nechim and Franklin were the only wicket-takers for MI with two apiece.

In reply, the visitors got off to a flier by smashing quickie Brett Lee for three boundaries in the first over. However, in trying to keep up with the required rate, T Suman was soon undone by Iqbal Abdulla for 4. Harbhajan Singh was sent in as a pinch-hitter and he straightaway made his intentions clear by scoring two consecutive boundaries. As Harbhajan was pressing on the accelerator, Tendulkar rotated the strike with some touch strokes. The duo formed a healthy 57-run stand before Harbhajan was caught at mid-on, off Rajat Bhatia for 30.

With 92 needed from the last 10, the pressure was mounting on the batsmen. In trying to increase the tempo, Rohit Sharma (10) and Tendulkar (38) fell in quick succession, and it almost dampened MI’s hopes of winning the game. To make a match of it, Kieron Pollard and Franklin had to come to the party for MI, especially as the required run-rate had climbed up drastically. In an attempt to slog, Pollard was cleaned-up by L Balaji for 18. With Pollard’s departure, MI’s hopes of crossing the line appeared bleaker than before.

However, in a remarkable turn of events, Rayadu and Franklin held their nerves to shore up the MI score with a couple of big hits. With 21 required of the penultimate over, Franklin squeezed in four boundaries off four deliveries from Balaji to get MI in touching distance of an incredible win. After a single off the 5th delivery, MI were one shot away from crossing the line and Rayudu deposited the final ball into the stands to stun the crowd into complete silence, a la a Kirti Azad or a Javed Miandad! The visitors won the game by five wickets.

As skipper Tendulkar remarked at the post match ceremony, the win was important for MI to gain some momentum heading into the knock-outs. Franklin was the unanimous choice for the Man of the Match award for his sensational effort with the bat, as well as the ball.

Despite the incredible win, the top spot eludes MI and they will once again play KKR in the play-offs at Wankhede Stadium, their home ground, on Wednesday, May 25.

Moment of truth – MI vs. KKR

Sat, 21 May 2011 15:42:02 GMT

Kolkata, May 21, 2011: When the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders clash here tomorrow at the Eden Gardens, not only would they play for a place in the top two spots on the points table but would also be severely conscious of how Kings XI Punjab may have fared in their next game due this afternoon. With so much at stake, it promises to be an exciting contest on the cards.

Both teams have been more or less consistent in the competition and yet are not certain of a place in the play-offs, unless KXIP were to lose their encounter with RR and in which case both would be through. Early on, both teams did extremely well and registered some crucial wins under their belt, but both have floundered going forward. On paper, both sides appear well balanced, but the same has not translated into wins at crucial junctures.

While KKR did win their last game to keep their hopes alive, MI has inexplicably lost three games on the trot. As a result, they now hold their destiny in their own hands. Come tomorrow, it will be a high-octane clash. Both teams would want to rise to the occasion and be counted. Considering the nature of the track, both teams could be tempted to play an extra spinner in the playing squad. MI skipper Tendulkar has already indicated at the post match ceremony yesterday that a few changes may be expected.

The Pitch: The wicket at the Eden Gardens has been slow this season and the strip has been conducive for slow bowling. Batsmen have not looked very comfortable batting on it. In the previous two games played at this venue, teams batting first have logged in scores of around 120. Since it is a pressure game for both sides, it will be interesting to see what the captain winning the toss decides.

Head to Head: MI-5, KKR-1
As the figures suggest, MI has maintained a clear edge over KKR. But MI would be aware that KKR won when they last met at the Eden Gardens in the 2010 Season of the IPL.

Key Players: Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma have been consistently getting runs for MI. Even in the last game, these two were amongst the top scorers. For MI to post a decent total or chase down the runs, the duo has to lay down a solid foundation. As bowling goes, Harbhajan Singh will play a crucial role on this spin-conducive wicket.

For the home side, Gautam Gambhir and Jacques Kallis have been consistent with the bat throughout this season. They could once again play an important role at the top. The fact that both batsmen are very effective players of slow bowling, it allows other batsmen in the side to bat around them. On the bowling front, spinners Iqbal Abdulla and Shakib Al Hasan could be a handful on this wicket.

Spot light: Although Brett Lee has been very economical as a bowler, he only has 10 wickets to his name so far. KKR would want Lee to fire and get amongst the wickets when he goes toe-to-toe against the formidable MI batting.

For MI, the opening slot has been a bit of a concern throughout. They have tried different combinations at the top, but none has provided good support to the little master holding the other end. It needs to be seen who the skipper picks up to support him at the other end this time, especially as it promises to keep MI in good stead.

MI Squad: Sachin Tendulkar (c), Aiden Blizzard, Yuzvendra Chahal, James Franklin, David Jacobs, Sarul Kanwar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ali Murtuza, Lasith Malinga, Abu Nechim, Kieron Pollard, Munaf Patel, Ray Price, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma, Pawan Suyal, R Satish, Andrew Symonds, T Suman and S K Yadav.

KKR Squad: Gautam Gambhir (c), Iqbal Abdulla, Shami Ahmed, Mark Boucher, Rajat Bhatia, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Manvinder Bisla, Ryan ten Doeschate, Shreevats Goswami, Shakib Al Hasan, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee, Sarabjit Ladda, Yusuf Pathan, James Pattinson, Laxmi Shukla, Manoj Tiwary and Jaidev Unadkat.

Shane shine for Rajasthan Royals

Sat, 21 May 2011 00:54:41 GMT

Mumbai, May 20, 2011: Not one, but two. While one Shane excelled with the ball, the other sparkled until the end to take Rajasthan Royals home in a comprehensive ten-wicket victory against favourites Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium here this evening. For RR, it was also a perfect send off skipper Shane Warne who played his last IPL game today.

All-rounder Shane Watson was the catalyst behind the emphatic win after grabbing three wickets and scoring an unbeaten 89 from 47 balls. The RR victory has stretched MI to the wire and MI’s chances of qualifying to the knock-out rounds will depend on how they fare against KKR at Eden Gardens on May 22.

Early on, MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar had no hesitation in batting first after winning the toss. T Suman was promoted up the order to open the innings with his captain but the experiment did not come off, as he was tamely dismissed in the 2nd over by Watson for 5. A couple of overs later, in-form batsman Ambati Rayudu too fell to some smart bowling by Watson, for 2. At the end of 4 overs, Mumbai Indians were struggling at 17-2.

Rohit Sharma joined Tendulkar in the middle and the duo had to shoulder the big responsibility of steadying MI innings. They rotated the strike and dispatched the bad deliveries to the fence with some cautious batting. However, before the partnership could become significant, Tendulkar was caught at third-man by Watson off Amit Singh for 31. After 12 overs, the home team was 66-3.

With 8 overs to go, Kieron Pollard was sent up to launch the attack. Even while Pollard was coming to terms with the slow pitch, Sharma was growing in confidence and reached his half-century in the 16th over. Immediately after the strategic time-out, Pollard unleashed two ferocious boundaries off Ashok Menaria and gave some impetus to the scoring. But before he could take the game away from the visitors, a mistimed shot off a Watson delivery came into his wickets and sent him back to the hut for 20. With two overs to go, the MI score was reading 118-4. Two excellent last overs by Johan Botha and Warne managed to restrict new batsmen Harbhajan and Franklin and reduced MI to 133-5 after 20. Sharma (58) went down in the history books as Warne’s last wicket in the IPL. Watson was the pick of the bowlers for RR with figures of 4-0-19-3.

In reply, the visitors got off to a rollicking start, as a relaxed Watson took on the MI bowlers right from the beginning. His two sixes off Harbhajan Singh in the 2nd over set the tone for the rest of the innings. However, Watson was lucky to survive a run-out scare in the 5th over. The onslaught from the Aussie all-rounder took RR’s total to 37-0 after 5 overs.

MI was now in desperate need of wickets to stay in the hunt and Sachin brought Lasith Malinga into the attack. He too was greeted in similar fashion by Watson. Fifteen runs came from Malinga’s first over. A little bit of drama took place in Malinga’s second over when a short delivery hit Watson on the grill. Remarkably, a doubly inspired Watson brought up his 50 in the 7th over, as MI’s hopes of staging a comeback looked bleaker with every huge hit.

Skipper Tendulkar changed and shuffled MI bowlers deftly but the day belonged to the duo of Dravid and Watson. While the former kept on rotating the strike with some touch shots, the latter kept unleashing big hits with regularity. The 100-run partnership was on the board in the 11th over and the openers finished off the game in a grand fashion by reaching the target inside 14 overs. Dravid contributed with 43 off 32. Watson received the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance.

Mumbai Indians next face off KKR in a must-win match at the Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata on May 22.

Tendulkar vs. Warne – one last time

Thu, 19 May 2011 17:00:27 GMT

Mumbai, May 19, 2011: Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne have engaged in some intense battles over the years and their healthy rivalry has provided larger than life entertainment to cricket fans across the globe. There has never been a dull moment when the two legends have taken to the field and tomorrow will be no different – one last time - when Mumbai Indians take on Rajasthan Royals here at the Wankhede Stadium.

Warne will be leading RR for the last time, as he has announced his retirement from the IPL a week ago. Given his general disposition, he would like to finish on a high. However, it has been a topsy-turvy season for the 2008 Champions. After getting off to a winning start this season, they have not been consistent and have suffered to a point of no return this season. With 11 points from 13 games, their chances of qualifying to the knock-out stage are dashed. Nonetheless, the boys from Rajasthan will go all-out to play spoilsport for the sake of their captain.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have suffered two losses in a row and that has prevented them from sealing a place in the top two spots. The home side will be raring to get a crack at this opportunity to move higher on the table. While MI has been clinically effective on most occasions, the last two matches have not gone their way. However, the determination to get their house in order was writ large on the face of the skipper when he spoke at the post match ceremony after MI lost to DC. As the tournament heads to a close and all teams scramble for the top position, it will be crucial for MI to win this encounter to not only bolster their chances of topping the table but also the confidence of its ranks for the knock-out stages.

The Pitch: The wicket at Wankhede, which up until yesterday was a beautiful strip for the batsmen, has suddenly turned treacherous and is turning viciously. The surprise turner certainly did not please the home skipper Tendulkar. It will be interesting to see what the curator has to offer for this game and whether the pitch has settled down once again.

Key Players: MI will once again depend on top-order batsmen Tendulkar, Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma to lay the foundation. Kieron Pollard has been hitting the ball well in the last couple of games and may even be promoted up the order. RR bowlers would have their work cut-out when Pollard walks to the wicket. On the bowling front, table leading wicket-takers Lasith Malinga (27) and Munaf Patel (17) would be keen to add a few more wickets to their tally.

For the visitors, a good partnership from openers Shane Watson and Rahul Dravid will be crucial. According to his high standards, Watson has had a quiet IPL season and will be on the look out to finish on a high. RR’s bowling will heavily depend on their captain Warne and MI batsmen need to be careful against the wily spinner.

Spotlight: Andrew Symonds has surprisingly not been at his best in the tournament so far and, although brilliant in the field, is yet to fire with the willow. MI would be hoping for him to come good just in time before the knock-outs begin.

Ross Taylor’s dip in form is a huge concern for the Royals. Taylor has only managed 181 runs from 11 inns, with his highest score of 47*. For RR to post a big total or chase one, Taylor’s contribution with the bat will be vital.

MI Squad: Sachin Tendulkar (c), Aiden Blizzard, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dilhara Fernando, James Franklin, David Jacobs, Sarul Kanwar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ali Murtuza, Lasith Malinga, Abu Nechim, Kieron Pollard, Munaf Patel, Ray Price, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma, Pawan Suyal, R Satish, Andrew Symonds, T Suman and S K Yadav.

RR Squad: Shane Warne, Swapnil Asnodkar, Stuart Binny, Johan Botha, Deepak Chahar, Ankeet Chavan, Aakash Chopra, Aditya Dole, Nayan Doshi, Rahul Dravid, Samad Fallah, Faiz Fazal, Ashok Menaria, Sumit Narwal, Jacob Oram, Amit Paunikar, Abhishek Raut, Ajinkya Rahane, Pankaj Singh, Amit Singh, Pinal Shah, Shaun Tait, Ross Taylor, Siddharth Trivedi, Shane Watson and Dishant Yagnik.

Chargers choke Mumbai Indians on a surprise turner

Sun, 15 May 2011 01:55:33 GMT

Mumbai, May 14: Deccan Chargers spinners choked the Mumbai Indians batsmen on a surprise turner of a wicket at the Wankhede Stadium here to defend a sub-par total of 135. As the ball dug in and came to the bat with some difficulty, early MI batsmen used up too many dot balls and left a herculean task for the ones who came in later, acknowledged MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar at the presentation ceremony after the match. DC beat MI by 10 runs.

A flourish in the 20th over of the DC innings by Amit Mishra yielded 23 runs off Munaf Patel and perhaps was the deciding factor between the two sides in the end. After this loss, MI has dropped to the 3rd position in the points table with two games to play.

Early on, Deccan skipper Kumar Sangakkara elected to bat first after winning the toss. However, a full-pitched Lasith Malinga delivery was too hot to handle for opener Michael Lumb and he had to return to the hut for a duck in the very first over. Sangakkara joined Sunny Sohal and the pair added 38 runs before the captain was brilliantly caught by Kieron Pollard at cover off Dhawal Kulkarni for 27. At the end of 8 overs, the visitors were 42-2.

Sohal and JP Duminy played the anchor innings thereafter, before the big-hitters could enter. But wickets of both batsmen in the 10th and the 11th over further added to Deccan’s woes. With 11 gone, Chargers were struggling at 59-4. A little later, B Chipli too was deceived by a slower-one from Kulkarni for 10. With five overs to spare, DC had to shift gear and press for acceleration. But disciplined MI bowlers kept the batsmen under check with some excellent line and length. After 19 overs, Chargers were 112 for 6, and a competitive score beyond their reach.

However, in a dramatic twist in the last over from Munaf Patel, leggie Amit Mishra spanked the ball all around, and a few verbal skirmishes between the two later, the DC score read 135-6 in their allotted 20 overs. Shikhar Dhawan and Mishra remained not out on 27 and 18, respectively. For MI, Malinga, Harbhajan and Pollard got a wicket each, while Kulkarni impressed with 3 for 26.

In reply, MI batsmen were tested by Duminy’s off-spin, and he quickly got rid of the dashing Aiden Blizzard for 1. In the very next over, Ambati Rayudu (2) was bowled by Ishant Sharma when he tried to make room for a hit. After the fourth over, the hosts were 19-2, with Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma at the crease.

Sharma opened his account with an exquisite square-drive and showed promise. However, he soon edged an out-swinger and departed for 4. At this stage, 110 were needed from 14 overs and Andrew Symonds walked in to join the master. The pair put together a laboured partnership of 29, when Symonds skied one in his effort to catch up with the run-rate and holed out to Ishant at long-off for 8, off Mishra.

Tendulkar and T Suman then reduced the target to 60 runs from 5, with a few big blows. But, before they could take their side home, they were dismissed by Anand Rajan in the same over for 37 and 14, respectively. Only three runs off the 17th over from Pragyan Ojha put the hosts in a dire situation as they now needed 50 from 18 balls. Mumbai Indians were now staring down the barrel.

While some lusty hitting by Kieron Pollard and harbhajan Singh took the match to the wire, it was too little too late. An onslaught by Kieron Pollard and Harbhajan in the 18th & 19th over gave MI a twinkle of hope, with 26 required from the last over. With the first ball disappearing for 6, the pressure was back on the visitors.

However, young bowler Rajan kept his nerve and Pollard, who was facing the inevitability of hitting sixes off all remaining balls, scooped one to Michael Lumb at deep extra cover, for 24. The game was all but over with 13 runs to be made from the remaining two balls. Some smart bowling ensured that DC sealed the match by conceding just three more runs. Amit Mishra was declared the Man of the Match for his all-round performance.

Mumbai Indians next play Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai on May 20, 2011.

Top spot on MI’s radar

Fri, 13 May 2011 16:32:21 GMT

Mumbai, May 13, 2011: With 16 points to their credit, a win against Deccan Chargers here tomorrow at the Wankhede Stadium will once again take the Mumbai Indians to the top of the table. They have slipped to the second position after yesterday’s encounter between CSK and DD, and a win here will not only boost their ranking but also their morale and chances of finishing at the top.

Meanwhile, there is only personal pride at stake in tomorrow’s encounter for the visitors. The Chargers and the Delhi Daredevils are no more in contention for the semi-finals and that perhaps makes them far more dangerous to compete with. The Hyderabad boys have had a forgettable journey so far, with only three wins out of 11 games. They have been unable to click as a unit and must be hoping to end their season on a positive note from hereon. As far as recent performances go, the Chargers have won only one out of their last five matches.

In contrast, Mumbai Indians have had a commendable run in the competition, barring three games where they did not come up trumps. The big loss against Kings XI at Mohali on May 10 will surely spur them up for this game with so much at stake.
As far as team compositions go, DC might want to experiment and give more youngsters a go. MI is likely to field their best XI on the park to enhance their chances of winning.

Head to head: MI- 4 & DC-3: The deadlock between the teams was finally broken, when MI toppled DC in Hyderabad earlier in the competition. Will MI strike the home advantage to increase the lead?

The Pitch: The pitch at the Wankhede continues to be an excellent strip for T20 cricket. It is one of the best pitches prepared for the IPL and has received universal approval. Both, the batsmen and the bowlers have enjoyed their time in the middle. In the last game between MI and DD, MI scored 178 and successfully defended the score despite the dew on the field. Only time will tell what the toss-winning captain decides.

Key Players: Deccan’s international stars – Cameron White, JP Duminy, Daniel Christian and the skipper Kumar Sangakkara - have not been at their best in the tournament so far. Pacemen Ishant Sharma and Dale Steyn have also not been consistent. Only Amit Mishra, the leg-spinner, has shown some promise. The visitors will need rejuvenated performances from their big-guns to have any chance of giving MI a run for their money.

On the other hand, MI’s marquee players have enjoyed substantial success in the competition so far. Top order batsmen Sachin Tendulkar, Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma have been prolific scorers for the team. Big hitting all-rounders Andrew Symonds and Kieron Pollard would also be keen to get some handy runs under their belt before they enter the knock-out stages. On the bowling front, all bowlers have made an impact and have taken wickets at crucial junctures. But Lasith Malinga and Munaf Patel have been simply exceptional.

DC Squad: Kumar Sangakkara, Akash Bhandari, Bharat Chipli, Daniel Christian, Kedar Devdhar, Shikhar Dhawan, J P Duminy, Manpreet Gony, Ishank Jaggi, Michael Lumb, Chris Lynn, Ishan Malhotra, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Kevin Pietersen, Ashish Reddy, Dwaraka Ravi Teja, Jaydev Shah, Ishant Sharma, Sunny Sohal, Dale Steyn, Harmeet Singh, Rusty Theron, Cameron White and Arjun Yadav.

KXIP shock MI

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:30:40 GMT

Mohali, May 10, 2011: Inspired Kings XI Punjab bowlers shocked the mighty Mumbai Indians into abject surrender this evening at the PCA stadium. As Sachin Tendulkar said in the post match ceremony, it was a day they would like to forget as soon as possible.

The Mumbai Indians have faltered only for the third time in the 2011 Season of the IPL after a dream run to the top of the table. Their formidable batting line-up succumbed to some impeccable bowling by KXIP and collapsed for a paltry 87. The 76-run upset win over MI keeps Punjab’s semi-final hopes alive, even as MI continues to top the table with 16 points.

MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and inserted the home side to bat first on a wicket that played well. After striking three impressive fours, opener Paul Valthaty fell to a clever short one from Munaf, resulting into a well-judged catch, inches from the boundary, by Aiden Blizzard, for 14. With the score reading 22-1, in-form batsman Shaun Marsh joined skipper Adam Gilchrist to resurrect the innings. The pressure on the home side was relieved by some loose bowling that leaked a few boundaries in quick succession. Gilchrist also got a life on 14, when Andrew Symonds dropped a sitter. As the batsmen grew in confidence, runs came in freely and Kings XI had 54 runs on the board at the end of the 7th over.

The partnership looked ominous for the visitors, but Tendulkar brought back strike bowler Lasith Malinga into the attack. His decision paid off when Gilchrist fell to a Malinga bouncer for 28. At this stage, Punjab’s score read a healthy 96-2 after 11. Dinesh Karthik was the next batsman in and soon found four boundaries to take the score to 124-2, with five overs remaining. The hosts were in the driver’s seat at this stage, and the projected score in the range of 180-190. However, Munaf got rid of Marsh (43) and David Hussey (0) in the 16th over and brought MI back into the hunt. A little later, Mandeep Singh was run-out by Malinga, while Karthik and Ryan Harris were Munaf’s 4th & 5th victims. KXIP managed eight more runs in the last over bowled by Malinga and finished on 163-8. Munaf was outstanding with figures of 4-0-21-5.

In reply, MI got off to a flier, as Blizzard opened his account with three boundaries. However, the visitors were handed their first blow after Tendulkar (6) was pouched by Marsh at point off Praveen Kumar. Rohit Sharma (5) was undone by some brilliant stumping by Gilchrist and Blizzard (15) soon followed suit when he skied one to deep mid-off. His departure saw MI wobbling at 27-3 in the 5th over. The onus of steadying the ship now firmly rested on Ambati Rayudu and Andrew Symonds, but a horrible mix-up between the pair resulted in Symonds getting run-out, with MI reeling at 47-4 after 8 overs.

MI’s precarious situation demanded application from the rest of the batsmen, but Rayudu (13) and T Suman (4) soon fell to the constant pressure exerted by KXIP bowlers and a steadily mounting run rate. With half the side back in the hut, the visitors had a big mountain to climb. With 101 needed of 60 balls, Harbhajan Singh showed intent by hitting two lusty blows, but he was soon cleaned-up by the wily Bhargav Bhatt for 12.

The curtains were finally drawn on the table-toppers in the 13th over, when Bhatt ran-through Pollard, Kulkarni and Patel in a space of five balls. This was the second instance in the 2011 Season of the IPL when Mumbai Indians were bowled out below a score of 100.
Bhatt was rightfully adjudged the Man of the Match for his match winning spell of 2.5-0-22-4.
The Mumbai Indians next play Deccan Chargers in Mumbai on May 14, 2011.