The day was ruled by Number 3. First Mumbai Indians made three changes to the team but the result was same as they lost their 3rd consecutive match. Rajasthan Royals registered 3rd consecutive win. The win came due to the big knock of Steven Smith, who became 3rd consecutive Captain (from Australia) to play the winning knock, and earn MOM. The clinical bowling and batting of Rajasthan Royals thumped Mumbai Indians whose multiple coaches could not decode how Mumbai Indians can open win!!
Indian Premier League 2015: Schedule and Results
Anderson and Pollard Get MI to 164/5
MIs last match star in loss Harbhajan Singh had to be rested due to minor injury. The team elected to bat but was soon in danger as they Southee, Morris, Kulkarni, Binny, Hooda, Faulkner and Tambe strangled them. They were 45/3 in 10 overs and and 83/3 in 15 overs. From there on Pollard and Anderson managed to break free for the last 5 overs and MI added 81 runs. Pollard scored 70 runs in just 34 balls with 5 6s and 7 4s while Anderson scored 38-ball 50 runs with 3 6s and 5 4s. Both added 104 runs for 4th wicket.
For RR those who bowled in the last 5 overs, specially Southee, Faulkner, Tambe, and Morris, got their decent figure bad. Otherwise they bowled exceptionally well. Southee (1/46), Morris (1/34), Faulkner (0/29 in 3 with a maiden) and Tambe (1/25 in 3) suffered in last 5 overs. Dhawal Kulkarni (1/15 in 3), Binny (1/8 in 2) and Hooda (0/3 in 1) were economical as others were before 16th over.
RR Chases Comfortably with 7 wickets at Hand
Rajasthan Royals never looked in a hurry. Samson (17) was the first to go when Rajasthan were 28 in 4.3 overs. After that Rahane (39-ball 46) in the company of Captain Smith took the score to 91 when he became the first IPL victim of Shreyas Gopal in 14th over. Deepak Hooda played as if he had left the show incomplete in the last game hitting Gopal for 2 6s. But he failed to read Malinga and was bowled after 4-ball 13 runs stint. The score was 113/3 in 14.5 overs and RR had an asking rate of 10+.
Captain Cool Smith got the company of Faulkner. From there on they played 5.2 overs and Faulkner faced only 6 balls to remain unbeaten on 6 runs. Smith jumped from below 100 strike rate to unbeaten 53-ball 79 runs with a six and 8 4s. Both added 52 runs 5.2 overs to take RR to third consecutive win.
For MI, Vinay Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with 1/13 in 3 overs. Malinga’s last two overs were too expensive as he had to bowl to Smith and he ended with a figure of 1/41. Suyal with 0/45 was the most expensive. Suchith had a figure of 0/31 in 4 overs/ Anderson (0/12 in 2) and Gopal (1/23 in 2.1) also bowled but Pollard did not get a single over although Smith was hitting all over the park after 15th over.
Rajasthan Royals reached the top of the points tally, while MI has hit the rock bottom.
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