Picture : Twitter / IPL
With regular skipper Rohit Sharma missing out yet another match due to injury, Kieron Pollard capatained the Mumbai Indians in this match. Pollard had no hesitation in electing to bat first after winning the toss. As he wanted his power batting line- up to bat out the Royals out of this match at Abu Dhabi.
And Pollard had his wish too. Ishan Kishan ( 37) after early loss of Quinton De Kock (6) along with Surya Kumar Yadav ( 40) put the team back with a 83 run stand for the second wicket. Saurabh Tiwary made 34 , Kieron Pollard was foxed by spinner Shreyas Gopal for (6). It looked like the Royals would restrict the Mumbai Indians below 150. But Hardik Pandya lifted the Mumbai Indians towards the end with his range of shots all over hitting a quick fire 21 ball unbeaten 60 with 2 fours and seven sixes. The Mumbai Indians finishing strongly with 195/ 5 in their twenty overs. With the likes of Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai Indians had a bowling to defend the total.
For the Royals, the bowling figures read : Jofra Archer 2/31 (4 overs), Ankit Rajpoot was hammered 0/ 60 (4 overs), Kartik Tyagi 1/ 45 ( 4 overs), Shreyas Gopal 2/30 (4 overs) , Rahul Tewatia 0/ 25 ( 4 overs)
Chasing the Mumbai Indians total, the Royals lost Robin Uthappa for 13 and then skipper Steve Smith ( 11) with the total at 44/2 in 4.4 overs. Then what happened was truly sensational . All- rounder ben Stokes who had in the past got starts but could not carry on and had high score of only 41 against his name, finally justified his opener’s role with swashbuckling innings. He played a gem of an innings to score a magnificent unbeaten 107 off mere 60 balls with 14 fours and three sixes . It was innings of power and timing . Stokes hammered the Mumbai Indian bowlers – be it Trent Boult, James Pattinson ( who bagged the two wickets) , Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar.
And giving Stokes company in this fantastic run chase was Sanju Samson, who scored a fine unbeaten 54 off 31 balls with four fours and three sixes. Stokes and Samson remained unbeaten and featured in a breathtaking 152 run partnership made off just 82 balls. Royals winning by 10 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand. Royals at 196/2 in 18.2 overs.
Top effort from @benstokes38 107* and Samson 54* as they steer @rajasthanroyals to an 8-wicket win against #MI.#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/IuHBbTgEDa
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 25, 2020
Mumbai Indians bowlers were torn apart by Stokes and Samson and the figures tell the tale . James Pattinson 2/40( 3.2 overs), Trent Boult 0/40 ( 4 overs), Jasprit Bumrah 0/38 (4 overs), Krunal Pandya 0/ 20 ( 2 overs), Rahul Chahar 0/ 36 ( 3 overs)
The Mumbai Indians loss and the RCB loss earlier in the day has made the forthcoming matches more interesting and the play-0ffs berths is not secured as it seems.
