END OF OVER:20 | 11 Runs 2 Wkts | MI: 99/9 | RR: 4.95
- Yuzvendra Chahal2 (1b)
- Abu Nechim0 (0b)
- Sherwin Ganga4-0-31-0
- Ravi Rampaul4-0-17-3
So that's it from us tonight. Not the highest quality of cricket, but a thrilling match. T&T fought so hard for 119 balls of the defence, but baffled everybody last ball by going for the tie and not the win. I suppose we wouldn't react similarly if the batsmen went for the tie first with two required off the last ball. But a batsman can control things better, can be more precise with what he wants to do. There are infinitely more things that can go wrong in the field. They did tonight. And then again, even if T&T had achieved the tie they would have had to reckon with Malinga's yorkers. Oh the irony. The side that attacked and attacked to take this defence of 98 to the last ball went defensive last ball and lost it. On that note, we say the goodbyes. See you tomorrow
Ravi Rampual is MoM. What a 19th over he bowled. He says: "Get the yorkers in, don't go for many runs. Being bowled out for 98 we needed early wickets, so I went out attacking. We showed character and heart, and we have three games to follow. I found little extra bounce, and the shape, so the pitch helped."
Darren Ganga: "Disappointing, the result. The guys are shattered. Imagine the manner we fought, but didn't come out winning. Definitely ordinary batting, we showed a lot of heart in the field. That was the first thing, to play for the Super Over. It's unfortunate, Denesh couldn't hit the stumps, these things happen in cricket."
Harbhajan Singh: "I must congratulate Darren and his team. They were the better side. We didn't deserve to win. We didn't bat sensibly. We needed to tick the ball around, but we looked to play too many shots. We just weren't there with the bat. If we keep batting like this, we won't be here for long. We won today, but if we want to be there for the semis, we can't keep playing this kind of cricket."
I am a bit lost right now. Why did T&T try to only tie this one? I mean, they would have had to face Malinga in the Super Over. Not one man saving one. Don't really get it. Ambati Rayudu says it's the win that matters, not how it came. He himself tried his best to lose it by slogging when singles would have won it. Anand writes in, "Sad that T & T lost. Ironic that they should shun the aggressive captaincy that got them to the last ball! Mumbai's team of non mumbaiites and foreigners seem to be getting all the help they want." Can't take the credit away from Chahal, though. He took that diving catch to dismiss the last batsman, and played this last ball with soft hands. There was presence of mind there. And what do you say of Ganga? Attacked throughout to bring this game to the last ball, but then refused to go for the win
One to tie, two to win. Chahal to face. Nobody saving the single here. What is Ganga up to?
AT Rayudu run out 36 (76m 47b 3x4 0x6) SR: 76.59
Malinga is dejected as he walks off. Rayudu on strike again. He hasn't been smart here. Not smart at all
SL Malinga run out 15 (12m 8b 1x4 1x6) SR: 187.50
Right. At the start of the innings, I never thought I'd be saying this. Eleven required off the last over. Ganga will bowl it. Three men on the slog: long-on, deep midwicket, deep square
END OF OVER:19 | 4 Runs | MI: 88/7 (11 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 4.63, RRR: 11.00)
- Ambati Rayudu34 (44b)
- Lasith Malinga8 (6b)
- Ravi Rampaul4-0-17-3
- Kevon Cooper4-0-27-0
Fifteen required off the last two. Who'da thunk it? Rampaul will bowl one of these overs. Who will bowl the other? When will Rampaul bowl? All right Rampaul will bowl the 19th, the over of the devil in this Champions League. Ravi goes round the stumps. He usually does that at the death. The keeper stands really wide
END OF OVER:18 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | MI: 84/7 (15 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 4.66, RRR: 7.50)
- Lasith Malinga6 (4b)
- Ambati Rayudu32 (40b)
- Kevon Cooper4-0-27-0
- Sherwin Ganga3-0-20-0
Malinga to face for the first time
Harbhajan Singh run out 9 (7m 7b 0x4 1x6) SR: 128.57
Cooper is back
END OF OVER:17 | 8 Runs | MI: 74/6 (25 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 4.35, RRR: 8.33)
- Harbhajan Singh9 (7b)
- Ambati Rayudu29 (37b)
- Sherwin Ganga3-0-20-0
- Sunil Narine4-0-10-2