Mumbai’s middle- order powers hosts to challenging total

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The Pandya brothers — Krunal and Hardik — steered defending champions Mumbai Indians to 165/ 4 in the opening match of the Indian Premier League XI at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.

Krunal who scored an unbeaten 22- ball 41 was the aggressor, smashing England pacer Mark Wood for 36 runs in his last two overs.

His younger brother finished with an unbeaten 22 from 20 balls. Wood, who bowled a tight first over, conceding two runs, finished with 0/ 49.

Dwayne Bravo ( 0/ 25) was however brilliant at the death, giving away just eight in his last two overs.

Suryakumar Yadav ( 43) and Ishan Kishan ( 40) set up the platform on which Mumbai could build with a 78- run third wicket partnership ( 52 balls) after the openers departed early.

CSK skipper M. S. Dhoni won the toss and asked hosts to take first strike, keeping dew in mind.

Right- arm medium pacer Deepak Chahar started the proceedings and swung the ball straightaway to trouble Rohit Sharma ( 15, 18b, 2x4, 1x6). Shane Watson also bowled a probing second over.

Chahar trapped Evin Lewis in front in his second over and the West Indian left- hander took IPL’s first ever review in the fourth over, but still had to walk back when the umpires call stood.

Lewis, making his IPL debut along with Mayank Markade representing the home side, failed to open his account.

Rohit struggled and miscued one off Watson and was well caught by Ambati Rayudu at point.

Mumbai were 20/ 2 and reached 39/ 2 in the powerplay overs, when Chahar and Watso bowled.

Yadav along with Kishan started the recovery process.

Kishan greeted leg- spinner Imran Tahir with two straight fours and a six to ensure Mumbai got 18 runs from the 11th over.

Bravo at long off struggled twice to stop boundaries and was brought inside the circle where he could have pouched Kishan’s catch but couldn’t quite reach it.

Ravindra Jadeja who saw Kishan’s six just about sail over his head at long on, dropped Suryakumar off Bravo at mid- off as the Mumbai batsman hit three consecutive boundaries to keep his side marching ahead.

Yadav

Watson however pulled ( 2/ 29) straight to Mumbai Indians: R. Sharma c Rayudu b Watson 15, E. Lewis lbw b Chahar 0, Ishan Kishan c Wood b Imran Tahir 40, S. Yadav c Harbhajan Singh b Watson 43, H. Pandya ( not out) 22, K. Pandya ( not out) 41. Extras: ( lb2, w2) 4. Total: ( for 4 wkts, in 20 overs) 165. FoW: 1- 7, 2- 20, 3- 98, 4- 113. Bowling: Chahar 3- 0- 14- 1, Watson 4- 0- 29- 2 ( 1w), Harbhajan 2- 0- 14- 0, Jadeja 1- 0- 9- 0, Wood 40- 49- 0 ( 1w), Tahir 2- 0- 231, Bravo 4- 0- 25- 0.

Harbhajan Singh at deep square leg in the next over.

Tahir had his revenge as he dismissed Kishan ( 40) in his second over to leave it for the Pandya brothers to take Mumbai to a challenging total.