By: Tarish Bhatt
Corey Anderson and Kieron Pollard tried their level best to lift Mumbai Indians to a respectable total, but Steve Smith played another gem of an innings to help Rajasthan Royals register a seven wicket win in Ahmedabad.
Smith scored his maiden IPL fifty and led from the front in chase of 165 on a flat deck and ensured that the Royals continue their winning juggernaut in the tournament. Mumbai never troubled Rajasthan as they chased the total with five balls to spare.
The Royals received contributions from everyone while batting, as Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane provide a decent start. Later, Smith and Rahane stitched a match-winning partnership for the second wicket. Deepak Hooda played a cameo, while James Faulkner drove team home with the skipper.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians were off to a decent start with Parthiv Patel and Aaron Finch, but the former pulled off his hamstring while taking a quick single. That event changed the course of innings as Aaron had to be lifted off the the field due to injury.
Mumbai’s lost momentum after Finch’s departure and Rajasthan managed to dismiss Patel, Rohit Sharma and Unmukt Chand in no time. Rohit, who was played at number four due to the inclusion of Chand and Patel, scored his second consecutive duck in the tournament.
Rajasthan maintained tight line and length and never allowed Mumbai batsmen to up the ante and they could have bundled Mumbai for a paltry score, which looked well on cards, but a no-ball from Dhawal Kulkarni to Anderson changed everything.
Anderson got a let-off and from then onward and he ripped apart Rajasthan’s attack, scoring his second IPL fifty. Pollard, meanwhile, played in the league of his own and took Rajasthan bowlers for the cleaners in the last five overs, making a crucial 104-run partnership with Anderson.
“We did not start well with the bat, poor performance with the bat, thanks to Corey and Polly for bringing us back in the game,” Rohit Sharma said. “I think it was a decent score, not a great one but something to bowl at.
“Royals batted well. We have some work to do,” he added. “We have to take responsibility with bat and be a little disciplined with ball.”
