Mumbai Indians whip Pune Warriors

PUNE: Disciplined bowling and a mature 54-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu formed the foundation of Mumbai Indians’ five-wicket win over Pune Warriors India at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium here yesterday.
Chasing a paltry target of 113, Mumbai won with seven balls to spare.
Their ninth win of the IPL season put them on par with Rajasthan Royals on the points table, separated only by net run rate.
Deciding to bat first, Pune, who had made five changes, were in trouble straight away. Aaron Finch checked his shot to give an easy catch to Dwayne Smith at short cover, and Robin Uthappa shuffled across the crease to be adjudged leg before wicket.
Manish Pandey and Yuvraj Singh got together in the fifth over to stabilise the innings. Yuvraj opened his account with a flamboyant flick to the midwicket boundary off Lasith Malinga, and later swept Pragyan Ojha for consecutive sixes to give the innings a push. Pandey showed maturity as the pair rotated the strike and took calculated risks in a 59-run stand for the third wicket. For precisely 8.1 overs, they were in control, before it all came crashing down in the space of five deliveries.
Off the last ball of the 13th over, Pandey failed to connect cleanly with a knee-high full toss from Malinga, and was caught on the midwicket fence by Ambati Rayudu after a run-a-ball 29. In the next over, Angelo Mathews responded to Yuvraj’s call for a suicidal run but failed to beat Sachin Tendulkar’s direct hit from short third man.
A ball later, a classical offspinner from Harbhajan Singh hit Yuvraj, who was trying to play across the line, on the back leg. Asad Rauf took his time before bringing an end to Yuvraj’s 29-ball 33.
From 84 for 2, Pune had slumped to 85 for 5, and the innings never recovered. Mitchell Johnson and Malinga, who had accounted for Finch and Uthappa earlier, and Abu Nechim finished with two wickets apiece as Pune were restricted to 112 for 8.
Ashok Dinda, in his comeback game, produced a ripper as Dwayne Smith was bowled off the first ball of Mumbai’s chase. Tendulkar chipped an easy catch to Pandey at long-on off a straight delivery from Ajantha Mendis, and Dinesh Karthik fell to an irresponsible shot off Yuvraj.
With Mumbai 40 for 3 in the eighth over, Rohit and Rayudu got together to play deft cricket, reviving the chase with some classical shots. Mathews took a smart catch at backward square leg to dismiss Rayudu for 26 but Rohit, who was out for 37 with victory just a run away, and Glen Maxwell, on his debut after having been bought for $US 1 million in the February auction, ensured that there were no more wobbles. It was Pune's ninth defeat in a row.