IPL 9: Gujarat Lions seal playoff berth with commanding win over Mumbai Indians
[caption id="attachment_12808" align="alignnone" width="580"] Gujarat Lions qualify for the playoffs. Image Source: File Pic[/caption] Internet Desk: The Gujarat Lions became the first team to seal a berth in the IPL 2016 Playoffs after they defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians by six wickets on Saturday night. After the Mumbai Indians had posted 172-8 having been put in to bat, the Gujarat Lions chased down the runs in the 18th over, losing only four wickets in the process. Though the Lions’ run-chase began with Aaron Finch being dismissed of the second ball of the innings, the home side wrested back the initiative in splendid style, with Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina unleashing a flurry of strokes. McCullum hit the first boundary of the chase, but it was Raina who took the Mumbai Indians bowlers to the cleaners first; he targeted their highest wicket-taker of the season – Mitchell McClenaghan, hitting him for three boundaries and a six in the third over. McCullum joined in the act soon after and MI continued to bleed runs from both ends. McCullum hit Krunal Pandya for two boundaries and a six in the fifth over and then picked up consecutive boundaries of the sixth over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. By the time the Powerplay overs were bowled, the home side had raced to 70 for 1, and the required run rate which was 8.65 at the start of the chase had been brought down to 7.35. Both Raina and McCullum continued to find the boundary regularly; even the experienced Harbhajan Singh couldn’t put the plug on the spree of boundaries. In the tenth over, almost against the run of play, McCullum was dismissed when he attempted to sweep Harbhajan Singh, but played around the ball and had the ball clipping the top of leg stump bail behind him. McCullum made 48 from 27 balls, studded with eight fours and a six, and the 96 runs he scored in the company of his captain came at the rate of 10.67. Raina perished a couple of overs later when he top edged a pull shot to be caught by the wicketkeeper; the southpaw made 58 from 36 balls and hit eight boundaries and two sixes. A belligerent Dwayne Smith then came out and blazed away, hitting four boundaries and two sixes in his 23-ball 37. Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the winning runs, remained unbeaten on 21 (15 balls). The 5th wicket pair added 51 runs in 5.3 overs and helped their team past the finish line in 17.5 overs.
03 Comments
Karla Gleichauf
12 May 2017 at 05:28 pm
On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment
M Shyamalan
12 May 2017 at 05:28 pm
On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment
Liz Montano
12 May 2017 at 05:28 pm
On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment