Bangalore Royal Challengers beat Mumbai Indians squarely by 9 wickets
04-05-09
Fine display with the bat by Jacques Kallis (69 not out) and Robin Utthppa (66 not out) was enough to reach the target of 150 set by Mumbai Indians.
It is noteworthy that both these two batsmen were struggling with out-of-form in their earlier encounters. Once they found their rhythm, there is no stopping of fours and sixes by all the able bowlers of Mumbai Indians put together. Zaheer Khan who could take the only wicket of Wasim Jaffer for 7 runs at the initial stages of the match; Dwane Bravo; Lasith Malinga and Abishek Nayar were all punished contemptuously with the blades of Kallis and Utthappa. Thus the flawless batting of these batsmen belied all anxiety and doubt of winning the match for Bangalore Royal Challengers.
Earlier Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bat first. The new bowler D. Preez struck the heavy blow for Mumbai Indians, when he dismissed cheaply the opener and Captain Sachin Tendulkar for 11 runs. Before recovering from that shock, he struck again in dismissing A. Rahane for a duck and sent back JP Duminy for 1 in quick succession. However, when it was expected that Mumbai Indians would fold up somewhere inside 120 or so runs, Sanath Jayasuriya (52) with his second fifty in IPL, Dwane Bravo not out 50 as his best score so far, along with Abishek Nayar 29 not out, straightened the Innings to reach a respectable total of 149/4 at the close of 20 overs.
Jacques Khallis for his fine performance was adjudged Man of the Match.
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