Pollard-Starc confrontation mars Mumbai Indians' 19-run victory over RCB
Mumbai Indians' Kieron Pollard is about to fling his bat at Mitchell Starc during the tie against RCB at the Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble
An ugly incident marred yesterday's Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Indian Premier League clash involving MI's star batsman Kieron Pollard and RCB pacer Mitchell Starc.
Mumbai Indians' Kieron Pollard is about to fling his bat at Mitchell Starc during the tie against RCB at the Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Arul Kamble
The match ended in a 19-run win for Mumbai Indians. Mitchell Starc bowled a bouncer which the West Indian missed. The bowler exchanged a few words as Pollard shooed him off, urging the Australian to get back to bowling mark.
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Starc ran in to bowl the next ball, but for some reason, Pollard backed away. But Starc still delivered the ball. This had the West Indian fuming and he flung his bat towards Starc, but fortunately the bat dropped near the batsman.
Livid Pollard
An angry Pollard huffed and puffed his way towards the umpire as fellow West Indian Chris Gayle tried to calm him down. Pollard responded with a couple in the fifth ball and a four off Starc's last ball of the 16th over.
Starc was successful in running out Pollard for 43 in the 20th over of the innings. Rohit Sharma & Co notched up their 10th victory on the trot at their home ground. RCB were restricted to 168-8, chasing MI's 187-5 in 20 overs.
Chris Gayle, who had a quite IPL-7, came to the fore yesterday. Gayle pelted a couple of sixes and fours in Pawan Suyal's last five deliveries of the over.
From 15 in two overs, RCB were 43 at the end of third over much to the dislike of the crowd. As it was turning out to be a Gayle show, veteran MI spinner Harbhajan succeeded in halting the big-hitting West Indian's blitzkrieg.
Gayle missed a straighter one from the offie that went on to disrupt his furniture. MI had a golden opportunity to get on top in the 12th over, but Jasprit Bumrah dropped RCB skipper Virat Kohli at short fine leg on 32. In the next over, however, Bumrah sent RCB dangerman AB de Villiers' leg stump cartwheeling.
Suyal, coming back with renewed hope, managed to dismiss Kohli for 35, thanks to Corey Anderson's acrobatic catch at long off. Earlier, Rohit Sharma (59 not out) and Pollard (43) slammed 77 runs in the last six overs to turn the tide in the hosts' favour.
48
The number of runs Mumbai Indians scored in the last three overs
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