New Delhi: How often does history repeat itself? Quite often. But Mumbai Indians would not have imagined even in their wildest of dreams that history would come to haunt them just within 2 days and that too in the final of IPL.
Rising Pune Supergiant did exactly what Mumbai had done to KKR in the second qualifier. Mumbai was restricted to 129 for 8.
Opting to bat first, Mumbai got off to a worst possible start. Their highest scorer of the season, Parthiv Patel was removed by Pune’s highest wicket-taker Jaydev Unadkat in the third over off the innings for 4. It seemed Unadkat was making one final dash to snatch that Purple cap from Bhuvneshwar Kumar . The Saurashtra left-armer produced brilliance in two pieces - First to fox Simmons with one of his potent off-cutters and then by plucking the ball inches off the guard. Mumbai had lost both their openers for only 8 on the board.
Rohit then, like a true leader arrived with all his might and experience. Young Lockie Ferguson was at the receiving end. One past cover, one behind square on the leg side, an on-drive dissecting the umpire and the mid-on fielder and finally a thick outside edge – four boundaries in one over. The Mumbai innings was back on track, or so it seemed till Rayudu went for suicidal single and lost his wicket to a run out. There it was, the Mumbai innings was winded, all of a sudden that third title seemed a long way away.
It went out of reach when Rohit (24) pulled a Zampa delivery straight down the throat off deep-mid wicket. The Australian leggie wasn’t done yet, though the field placement deserves as much credit as Pollard hit one straight to long off.
At 65 or 5 Mumbai only had Pandya borthers to bank on. Led by Jaydev Unadkat, Pune bowlers were picture perfect and it didn’t seem Mumbai would go beyond 120 when Hardik was trapped right in front by Chirstian. It was a superb innings by Krunal Pandya that enabled Mumbai to put on 129. The all-rounder scored 47 off 37 before getting out off the last ball off the innings.
For Pune, Unadkat picked up 2 wickets for 19 runs. Zampa and Chistian also returned with 2 wickets-a-piece.
Washington Sundar did not pick up any wickets but it was his off spin that built the pressure at the start off the innings. The 17-year-old offie gave away only 14 runs in his full quota.
Now it will be up to the batsmen to repay bowlers by chasing down the target. Considering the slow nature and turn available in the wicket, it sure won’t be easy though.