Buttler, Rana stand helps Mumbai qualify for playoffs

Jos Buttler and Nitish Rana's 61-run stand for the second wicket set up a platform that Rohit Sharma eventually used to narrowly push his side past Bangalore by five wickets, and to seal their qualification for the play-off's, in the Indian Twenty20 competition at Wankhede stadium, Mumbai on Monday.

Mumbai lost in form opener, Parthiv Patel off the first ball of the 163-run chase. Bangalore, already on the brink of elimination from the tournament, needed to make more enroads in their bid to change their fortunes. However, Buttler and Rana dropped anchor and refused to budge. Rana, playing in his first season of the competition, counter attacked and hit three fours in the first two overs he faced. Buttler, not to be undone, clipped James Milne for the same in the third over. Virat Kohli shuffled his bowlers in a bid to find a break through, but Buller and Rana stood firm.

The duo scored at 8.31 runs an over in the 7.2 overs that they batted together. Pawan Negi, who had earlier starred with the bat for Bangalore, finally dismissed Buttler and Rana two-overs apart, but the early damage had already been done. Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard stepped in and maintained the momentum to carry their side closer to the target, which Mumbai finally accomplished with one ball remaining.