IPL 2021 Match 27: Pollard brilliance gives Mumbai Indians a famous win
Thanks to a sensational knock by Pollard, Mumbai Indians defeated
Chennai Super Kings in a high scoring thriller played at the Arun Jaitely
Stadium, New Delhi on Saturday.
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided
to field first. It was an ideal start as Trent Boult got the wicket of Ruturaj
Gaikwad after being hit for a boundary. Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali showed
their class putting pressure on Mumbai Indians with positive strokes keeping
the pressure. At the end of the first six overs, Chennai Super Kings scored 49
for 1. With that, the first timeout was called.
Moeen Ali and Faf du Plessis showed their hitting power
against Neesham and Rahul Chahar hitting them for sixes keeping the scoreboard
ticking. Moeen continued his superb form in the tournament reaching his fifty
off just 33 balls. Faf du Plessis also made the batting look easy and hit
boundaries at will. Jasprit Bumrah was smacked for 16 runs before producing a
good delivery getting the breakthrough of Moeen Ali with an easy catch to de
Kock. Moeen and Faf added 108 runs for the 2nd wicket. Pollard was
bought into the attack and took big wickets of Faf du Plessis who tried to
scoop but Bumrah took a catch at short fine leg. He dismissed Suresh Raina off
the very next ball bringing Mumbai Indians back into the game.
Ravindra Jadeja was given out by the umpire but the decision was
overturned as the ball was pitching outside the leg. Pollard missed a tough
return catch but could not hold it. At the end of the second timeout, CSK
scored 126 for 4. Ambati Rayudu was in some hitting mood hitting boundaries and
sixes at will making life tough for the Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma.
Rayudu completed his fifty off just 20 balls while Jadeja
gave him full support. It was mayhem at the end as Chennai Super Kings posted a
massive total of 218 for 4. Rayudu remained not out on 72 off 27 balls with 4
fours and 7 sixes while Jadeja scored run ball 22. Rayudu and Jadeja made 102
unbeaten runs.
Chasing a mammoth total of 219 runs to win, Rohit Sharma and
Quinton de Kock provided a steady start for Mumbai Indians putting the CSK bowlers
under pressure. At the end of the first six overs, MI made 58 for 0.
After the field restrictions, MI openers kept on ticking the
scoreboard hitting boundaries. At the end of the first timeout, MI scored 68
for 0. Shardul Thakur got a breakthrough for CSK as he dismissed Rohit Sharma
providing an easy catch to Gaikwad to end 71 runs opening partnership. CSK came
back into the match as they wickets of Surya Kumar Yadav and well-set Quinton
de Kock to leave Mumbai Indians in trouble.
Kieron Pollard was in some hitting mood smashing Ravindra
Jadeja for big sixes. On the other hand, Krunal Pandya struggled to time the
ball. Pollard took the liking to Shardul Thakur and Lungi Ngidi with big sixes.
At the end of the second timeout, Mumbai Indians scored 130 for 3.
After the timeout, Pollard continued his power-hitting
reaching fifty off just 17 balls to keep Mumbai Indian hopes alive. Krunal
Pandya also joined cracking some lovely boundaries. Sam Curran held his nerves
getting rid of Krunal with a superb yorker in the 17th over giving
away just 2 runs. Krunal and Pollard added 89 runs for the 4th
wicket.
Faf du Plessis dropped a simple chance to get rid of
dangerous Pollard. Hardik Pandya played a blinder of knock scoring quickfire 17
off 6 balls with 2 sixes before being caught by du Plessis at long-off. Curran grabbed
the wicket of James Neesham to give Pollard strike in the final over.
With 16 runs required off the final over, Pollard smacked 2
boundaries and one-six to take the match into the final ball. He then ran two
to help Mumbai Indians register an amazing 4 wickets win.
Mumbai Indians 219 for 6 in 20 overs (Pollard 87*, de Kock
38, Curran 3/34) beat CSK 218 for 4 in 20 overs ( Rayudu 72*, Ali 58, Pollard
2/12) by 4 wickets.
For his all-round efforts, Pollard was awarded the man of
the match.
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