When Mumbai skipper Rohit dialled M for match-winners
Lasith Malinga and Mitchell Johnson — whose combined age is 68 — bowled the death overs and delivered a third IPL title for Mumbai Indians
HYDERABAD: They say Twenty20 is a young man’s game and they may be right. But when it comes to winning championships, some go by their gut feel and pitch for experience.
Such as Rohit Sharma who dialled M for match-winners and up-stepped Lasith Malinga and Mitchell Johnson — whose combined age is 68 — to bowl the death overs and deliver a third IPL title for Mumbai Indians here on Sunday.
“It was always going to be a gam- ble between Malinga and Johnson to bowl that last over,” said Rohit after Mumbai Indians (MI) won IPL 2017 title by one run off the last ball.
“Malinga has played quite a few games and was in that rhythm so I thought better to go with him. Johnson, we knew his slower ball and off-cutters, taking the ball away from right-handers, would make him difficult especially if he had to be hit against the wind. It paid off.”
Defending a paltry score of 129 with 11 needed off the last over and Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) having seven wickets, Johnson, whose arms still look like they have been sawn off tree trunks, conceded nine after Manoj Tiwary had hit a four off the first ball.
He fought back by dismissing Tiwary and RPS skipper Steve Smith off the next there balls and deflated the chase just when a maiden IPL title looked to be around the corner for Pune.
Johnson’s been a super sub for MI this term, stepping in for the injured Mitchell McClenaghan.
“We always knew we had a great back up in Johnson who is a proven customer. He has done it again and again for Australia and MI as well,” said Rohit.
When Johnson came on to bowl the last over, Smith was set and had just completed a patient half century. With Smith was Dan Christian, who has played Johnson a number of times. It was the Johnson-Rohit joint-venture’s decision to kill pace that did the trick.