The Bowling Academy Kochi Tuskers have proven in the last two games that they were good with batting. Despite two losses they were among the top 5 run scorer teams in first team match. When Mumbai Indians set them a target of 183 runs to register their first win, nobody wrote them off.
MI Innings boosted by Tendulkar’s first ton
Sent to bat first, MI inning started with caution and aggression both. Davy Jacobs scored only run-a-ball 12 runs. But with captain Tendulkar in full aggression at home, score was already 61 when Jacobs was bowled by Gomez. Rayudu playing the tournament of his life, started from where he ended second game scoring 53 runs in 33 balls with 4 sixes and 3 fours. When he was run out Mumbai innings was just 2 balls aways from closure. The remaining 2 balls were waiting for another piece of history, Sachin’s first Twenty20 century. He scored that on the last ball with a single. Tendulkar remained unbeaten for the third consecutive time, playing complete 20 overs in this match scoring 100 runs on 66 balls with 3 sixes and 12 fours. Mumbai Indians scored daunting 182/2.
Kochi Chase in Style
Kochi decided to rest Muralitharan, Sreesanth and Laxman for today’s match. Mahela Jayawardene, the Kochi captain, decided to lead from the front and came to open the innings, as he used to do with his last IPL team Kings XI Punjab. He and fiery opener Brendum McCullum added 128 runs till 14th over when Malinga struck, another yorker hitting the wicket. In came, their best player of last two matches, Ravinder Jadeja. McCullum continued with some more lusty blows, but Malinga sent him to join Mahela in pavillion in his next and last over. The best pair of Kochi Hodge and Jadeja needed another 27 runs in 17 balls. Both continued their good run and took Kochi home to register their first-ever IPL victory, that too against the most toughest side Mumbai Indians.
The thrilling chase had the right finish when Jadeja hit two consecutive sixes in the 19th over on Murtaza’s bowling to seal the fate of the match. What a match!!
Brendum McCullum – Player of The Match
Brendum McCullum’s fiery 81 scored over Tendulkar’s 100 in losing cause to gain Player of the Match award. His inning brought the pressure even on feared Malinga, his fiery knock brough Kochi into IPL contest, and more important their first win coming over Mumbai Indians, who looked unstoppable before this matc.
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