The Rising Pune Supergiants clash at the Wankhede Stadium against home side and table toppers Mumbai Indians. The Mumbai side has had a dream start to their IPL campaign, winning the last six games. In fact, their only loss of the season was against the Supergiants in the season opener at Pune. On the other hand, RPS got off to a relatively poor start but they have won their last two games, including a last-ball victory against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, propelled by a swashbuckling half century from former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
A packed Wankhede Stadium, on Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday, is all in readiness to host this Maharashtra derby.
The live scores and updates on the match can be found here:
MI : 157/8, 20.0 overs; Pune win!
Harbhajan pulls Unadkat for a six on deep mid wicket, but MI are short of target by 3 runs! Pune have done it!
Unadkat to Harbhajan, and McClenaghan is run out! Just a single run managed. McClenaghan run out (Stokes/Unadkat). Pune have won, unless they bowl a no-ball. Johnson on the crease.
Rohit is out! Unadkat has caught and bowled the skipper. Looks like an end to the MI streak is around. Rohit c and b Unadkat 58(39). 11 off 2 now. McClenaghan is on the crease.
Six! They crossed over, and Rohit is on strike. He converts a wide length ball into one in the arc with a run across his stumps. And then it is his swing that takes over. Hacks it across the line and despite the top-edge the big bats ensure it flies into the stands over mid-wicket. 11 off 4 now.
Unadkat to bowl the last over. Unadkat to Hardik Pandya, out Caught by Stokes!! Pandya slaps this fullish ball hard. And doesn’t bother keeping it down as well. Only for Stokes to run across from the long-off boundary and dive to pluck it inches off the turf. Hardik Pandya c Stokes b Unadkat 13(11). Harbhajan Singh walks in.
Stokes in for the all important penultimate over. He has had a good match. He bowls a wide on the second ball, but otherwise bowls an impeccable over to give just 7 runs. This is very good bowling. 17 off the final over.
MI :86/3, 12.0 overs;
Tahir comes in to bowl. Two dots, and then Karn Sharma puts him away for a six over long on.
Jayadev Unadkat is back into the attack. The required rate is climbing, and the pressure seems to be showing. Unadkat gives away only singles and doubles. until Rohit Sharma scoops one over the keeper for a four off the last ball.
MI : 68/3, 10.0 overs; Patel falls to Washington
So much for saving Tahir for Rohit, as the leg break is smashed it to the ropes twice. Four dots though, so just eight runs off the over.
Imran Tahir introduced. He was probably saved for Rohit Sharma, who has struggled with leggies all season.
Parthiv Patel is bowled by Washington. Patel was looking very dangerous. Maiden IPL wicket for Sundar. Parthiv Patel b Washington Sundar 33(27). Karn Sharma is on the crease.
MI : 56/2, 8.0 overs; Rana falls to Christian.
Unadkat catches a top edge from the in form Rana. This is a huge wicket!! Nitish Rana c Unadkat b Christian 3(9). Skipper Rohit Sharma walks in. Sharma drives powerfully for a boundary off the last ball.
Daniel Christian, right arm medium comes into attack.
Good 7th over from Washington, only 6 runs off it.
MI : 44/1, 6.0 overs; Wicket Maiden for Stokes, Butler is out.
Time out! Onset of dew may spoil things for RPS.
Thakur is back into the attack. Patel hits him for a boundary again on fourth ball, but he only ends up conceding 8 runs this time.
Ben Stokes into the attack, and he gets a wicket instantly. The slower ball has worked. Buttler drags it straight to long-on. He backed away looking for the big hit, maybe over mid-off, and Stokes followed him with a leg-cutter to deny him the room. The lack of pace on the ball meant that it didn’t come on as well as Buttler wanted and he ended up dragging it off the inside half. Simple catch for Sundar running in. Buttler c Washington Sundar b Stokes 17(13). Wicket maiden for Stokes. Nitish Rana walks in.
MI : 35/0, 4.0 overs
Jayadev Unadkat for the fourth over. Butler edges to third man for boundary, this is a good first over.
Sundar is back into the attack and Parthiv Patel punishes him with three boundaries, the last one a fine pull over deep midwicket.
MI : 14/0, 2.0 overs
SN Thakur for the second over. Hit for two fours by Butler, who is off to a fine start.
Washington Sundar to bowl the first over, Patel and Jos Butler walk in. Good first over, only three runs given.
RPS set a target of 161.
RPS : 160/6, 20.0 overs; Bumrah claims Tiwary
Dot to finish the innings, great final over by Bumrah. RPS manage a low 160.
Sundar Washington in.
Tiwary begins the final over with two consecutive boundaries off Bumrah, but he gets the better of Tiwary. Second wicket for him and both have come in the death overs. The off-cutter and deceived Tiwary completely, he didn’t pick it and shuffled across to nudge it to the on-side, Manoj Tiwary lbw b Bumrah 22(13)
Last over, and RPS need to really need runs here.
RPS : 150/5, 19.0 overs; Bumrah dismisses Dhoni, RPS are wobbling.
McClenaghan is bowling the penultimate over. One wide, and sloopy work from Parthiv means one bye. Tiwary hits him for a boundary on the last but one ball.
Bumrah into the attack, and he dismisses a lackluster Dhoni by cleaning his stumps. MI are chopping away at the wickets. Dhoni b Bumrah 7(11). Daniel Christian is in.
RPS : 137/4, 17.0 overs; Johnson bowls Stokes!
Manoj Tiwary comes in to bat, and immediately begins the much needed fireworks with two consecutive fours.
Mitchell Johnson for the 17th over, and he bowls Stokes on the second ball of the over. It was right in the slot for Stokes and he misses it altogether. Johnson came round the wicket and pounded it on a length ball on leg-stump, Stokes clears his front leg and heaves, but failed to connect with the ball. Crashed into leg-stump and Johnson has his first wicket of the game. Big wicket at this stage. Stokes b Johnson 17(12).
McClenaghan comes in for the 16th over. He has been very expensive today. Stokes hits him for a four after three consecutive dots.
Five overs to go, and RPS need atleast 60-70 more runs to challenge the MI batting.
RPS : 120/3 ,15.0 overs.
Bumrah comes in for the 15th over. A measured spell of bowling, with only singles and doubles. Nine off this over.
Mitchell Johnson is introduced into the attack again. Stokes open account with a fine boundary. Dhoni seems to be waiting for the final assault, with only singles for the time being.
RPS : 104/3, 13.0 overs; Smith is bowled by Harbhajan!
It is his 200th T20 wicket. He dropped him last over off Sharma and now has removed the dangerous Smith. Not much harm done. He’s letting all his frustration out. Shouting and roaring at the top of his voice. Smith b Harbhajan 17(12).
Ben Stokes is in to bat.
RPS :100/2 , 12/0 overs; Tripathi completes 50, Sharma strikes again!
Karn Sharma is having a good time in the middle. Smart bowling from Karn, his second and making the most of the opportunity. He saw the batsman advance and threw it wide outside off, Tripathi had to reach out for the loft and he miscues it towards long-off. Tripathi c Pollard b Karn Sharma 45(31). Unfortunate to miss a half century.
Dhoni walks in.
RPS : 84/1, 10.0 overs; Rahane is out!
Harbhajan comes in to bowl the ninth and keeps the runs in check, with only five runs and all of them singles.
Karn Sharma for the 10th over, and Rahane is caught and bowled!! First wicket for Karn Sharma in Mumbai colors. Rahane was undone as he was looking to cut as he thought it was a leg-break. Steve Smith is in. Tripathi hits Sharma for a six on the penultimate delivery, the flow of runs is not slowing!
RPS : 69/0, 8.0 overs
Mclenaghan is back into the attack and is taken to the cleaners yet again. Tripathi hits him for two consecutive fours on short deliveries. Rahane adds fuel to fire with another four on the fifth ball.
RPS : 55/0, 7.0 overs
Harbhajan into the attack. With the single on the second ball, the 50-run stand is up. Excellent over by Singh, just 7 runs off it.
RPS : 48/0, 6.0 overs
Karn Sharma and Bumrah are introduced into the attack. Sharma starts with a disciplined over giving just 6 runs, with two dots. Bumrah also gets off to a decent start.
Sharma is punished for some loose bowling in his second over, with Rahane hitting him for a six on the first ball and four on the last ball. Rahane is looking in some mood.
RPS : 31/0, 4.0 overs
Karn Sharma in for Mclenaghan. He is disciplined, gives just 6 runs with two dot balls.
RPS : 25/0, 3.0 overs
Rahane smashes Johnson to the fence with ease. Rahane looks in very good shape. Otherwise disciplined bowling from Johnson.
RPS : 18/0, 2.0 overs
McClenaghan is taken to the cleaners with two boundaries by Rahane and Tripathi. RPS are off to a great start.
RPS : 9/0, 1.0 overs
Rahane smashes Johnson for a six over cover on the last ball of the first over.
Rahane and Tripathi open
Rahane and Tripathi have walked in to open for SRH. Johnson will open the bowling for MI.
MI wins toss, elects to field first
Rohit Sharma talks about the trend on the wicket to justify his decision, saying the wicket looks dry and amenable for a run chase. MI is certainly aiming to exploit RPS’s troubles in the bowling department. Krunal Pandya is out injured, Karn Sharma comes in.
Steve Smith said he would have made the same decision. His squad is unchanged.
