Nothing is impossible when you believe. And so was the story of last night when MI were reduced to 78/4 in the 12th over in pursuit of a massive 202-run target.

Last night’s game wasn’t for the weak hearted. Thanks to a game-changing partnership between Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard, we witnessed a humdinger at the Dubai International Stadium under lights.

Ishan had got an opportunity to play his first game of the tournament. The left-handed batsman displayed great character as he started his innings with a boundary. There had also been a lot of talk regarding Pollard who came off from a fantastic CPL. With the required rate soaring above 15 runs an over, there couldn't have been a better person than him at the crease.

Placed at 78/4 after 11.2 overs, MI were staring at defeat with most of their big guns misfiring. The momentum was in favour of RCB and they continued to stay in control. After a period of 20 balls without any boundary, Kishan broke the shackles as he smoked a maximum to bring up his fifty. The pressure was still piling up for MI.

The target was looking far fetched. For a moment, it seemed that the match had gone beyond MI's reach. With 80 runs required from the last 24 balls, Kohli threw the ball to Adam Zampa. The leg-spinner had been doing a fine job with the ball but he didn't know what was to follow.

The Tide Turns in MI’s favour

Pollard announced his intentions on the first ball as he greeted Zampa with a power shot straight down to the boundary. The next ball was mistimed but the ball slipped from Negi's hands and landed over the boundary ropes for a maximum. Pollard hit two more sixes off Zampa as he got into pinch-hitting mode.

Yuzvendra Chahal was also not spared as Pollard tonked him over long-off twice for a six as he completed his half-century from just 20 balls. 49 runs from the last couple of overs and suddenly it seemed like the momentum had shifted. Pollard had hit five sixes in the two overs from the leg-spinners while Kishan hit one.

To clear those long boundaries at the Dubai International Stadium wasn't an easy task but Pollard was making it look comfortable out there. Just a day before at Sharjah, we had witnessed the highest successful run-chase in IPL history.

Udana started the last over with two singles as the equation went down to 17 runs from the final four balls. It was Kishan's time to make it count and he responded with two consecutive sixes. He tried to finish the game off the penultimate ball but the slower one from Udana meant it didn't have enough power to clear deep mid-wicket. He departed for 99 (58), just one run short of a well deserved ton. With five runs required off the final ball, Pollard showed no signs of nervousness as he hit a boundary to take the game in the Super Over.

Takeaways from the partnership

119-run partnership from just 51 balls. Both the batsmen were smashing at a run-rate of 14.34 per over throughout their fifth-wicket stand.

Pollard has been a part of the team since 2010 and his consistency in the lower-order is unbelievable. His clean striking and the ability to go bonkers with the bat depending upon the match situation is monumental. His quickfire knock of 60 from just 24 balls turned the game on its head.

MI may have not crossed the line against RCB, but in Kishan, they may have nurtured yet another future star in Indian cricket. The wicket-keeping spot in the national squad is still wide open and Kishan will be aiming to continue from where he left.

Records Broken

1. The 119-run partnership between Pollard and Kishan was the best fifth-wicket stand for MI.

2. Ishan Kishan’s 99 was the third highest score by an uncapped Indian player in IPL.

3. His nine sixes is also the joint third highest by an MI cricketer in an IPL game.