RPSâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088skipper scores sizzling fifty to come in way of Mumbai Indians' charge
Steven Smith, Hardik Pandya
Pune's Steven Smith during his fifty against Mumbai Indians at the MCAâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Stadium in Pune yesterday. Pics/AFP
Pune: Rising Pune Supergiant skipper Steven Smith continued his rich vein of form by slamming an invaluable half century in his Indian Premier League team's victory charge against Mumbai Indians at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA)âu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Stadium here last night.
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Responding to the visitors' 184-8, Smith's team reached 158-3 at the end of the 17th over. Earlier, Jos Buttler's big hitting at the top of the order and some equally fabulous hitting from Hardik Pandya at the end helped Mumbai Indians to a challenging score after being put in to bat.
Mumbai Indians turned the momentum on its head by smashing 36 runs off the final seven deliveries of their innings. It began with Tim Southee hammering Ben Stokes straight over the sight-screen off the final ball of the 19th over. And then it was the Hardik Pandya show.
Mumbai Indians Hardik Pandya during his unbeaten 35 against RPSâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088in Pune yesterday
Pandya smashed a hapless Ashok Dinda towards the covers, long off and long on stands, in that order, off the first three balls. Pandya then top-edged one over the wicketkeeper for a boundary, before hitting Dinda over long on for another big one. A wide and a bye off the final ball took Mumbai Indians to a pretty challenging total considering the conditions.
Earlier, Buttler and Parthiv Patel gave the visitors a flying start. The duo helped Mumbai Indians race to 41 off the first four overs.
The introduction of Imran Tahir, in the fifth, changed things drastically. Tahir first cleaned up Patel off his second ball, and then removed Rohit Sharma and Buttler in his second over. Buttler hit 38 runs from 19 balls, including three fours and as many sixes.
Introduction of Rajat Bhatia from the other end further slowed down the scoring for the visitors, and they managed to score just 91 runs between the seventh and 19th over.
Tahir finished with figures of three for 28 off his four overs, while Bhatia's figures read 3-0-14-2.
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