Mumbai: Debutants Rising Pune Supergiants restricted Mumbai Indians to 121/8 in the opening game of the IPL-9 at Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday. They then chased down the target in 14.4 overs with nine wickets in hand. Ajinkya Rahane top-scored with an unbeaten 66.
Earlier, Harbhajan Singh’s late flourish ensured the hosts crossed the three-figure mark and gave their bowlers something to fight on a wicket that offered enough assistance to bowlers unlike the ICC World Twenty20 matches here.
Harbhajan who didn’t get a game for India in the World T20 scored 30-ball 45 with seven boundaries and one six.
Ambati Rayudu 22 (27b, 2x4) showed some resistance in the middle and Vinay Kumar (12) was the only third player to cross double figures as Mumbai Indians top order failed completely against a spirited Pune attack.
Mumbai batted first and had a disastrous start losing skipper Rohit Sharma in the second over. Ishant Sharma (2/36) struck in first ball to trap Rohit (6) in front. Lendl Simmons (8), who won the game for West Indies against India in the World Twenty20 semi-final here, received great applause from crowd after he hit a straight six of RP Singh but he lasted just eight balls with a fiery Ishant getting one back in to disturb his furniture in the next over.
Mitchell Marsh (2/21) dismissed Hardik Pandya (9) and Jos Butler (0) in his first over to reduce hosts to 30/4 in five overs. Pandya miscued Marsh’s first ball while Butler couldn’t open his account in his IPL debut, edging to R Ashwin at lone slip while attempting a flick.
Supergiants bowlers were getting significant movement in the power play overs. Kieron Pollard (1) survived a vociferous lbw appeal from Marsh but the West Indian batsman wasn’t lucky second time as Rajat Bhatia (1/10) nailed the big fish in his first ball. Bhatia also bowled a maiden wicket over and was miserly in the middle along with leggie M. Ashwin (1/16).
R. Ashwin bowled only over and he also struck first ball by dismissing Rayudu who was trying to stitch a partnership with Harbhajan after completing 2000 runs in his 97th IPL match. Bhajji unleashed himself in the last two overs to ensure Mumbai collected 31 runs.
