run out, full on middle, squeezes it to cover and sets off for a single, he lobs a throw back to the bowler who throws down the stumps to seal a thriller!!
RR vs MI, 45th match at Durban, IPL, May 14 2009 - Match Result
What a match! Roll the clock back to last year, when Yuvraj Singh pulled off a run out off the last ball of the match to seal a nerve-wracking win for Kings XI Punjab,. The opponents, then too, were Mumbai, and they suffer an almost identical fate this time. Nayar had played a superb knock to put Mumbai in front, and with 4 needed off the last over, just one hit, you had to favour the batting team. But Rajasthan held their nerve, Mumbai didn't, as three wickets fell, two run outs and an lbw, to hand the match to the defending champions. One of the best matches in the competition so far, and the result is that Rajasthan go up to No.3 on the points table, and Mumbai slip to sixth.
The ploy to save the better batsmen for later backfired as those three quick wickets early on put serious brakes on the scoring. Jayasuriya and Tendulkar restrained themselves in an attempt to get the chase back on track, and when Tendulkar eventually fell, Rajasthan had the game. However, Nayar gave them a serious scare, hauling Mumbai back into the match, smashing 35 off 18, but falling at the wrong time. The players who followed failed to cope with the tension, and panicked to hand Rajasthan a crucial victory at a critical phase in the competition.
Time for the presentation. Who's your bet for Man of the Match?
Tendulkar: "You always try out certain things. With the same batting order, we fell just short by 2 runs. Towards the end, there was some panic. We lost in a similar manner last year, and we have to try and win everything we can from here."
Warne is also the Man of the Match: "The guys showed a lot of character. I'm really proud of them. Munaf Patel at the end was sensational. It was a big game for both teams, and we just wanted a smile on our faces and play well. The Mumbai Indians played well, but we hung in there and never gave up. There is a great spirit in our group."
Phew, that was some match. We still have around 14-odd games remaining, and hopefully they'll end up keeping us on the edge just as this one did. Thanks for your feedback, and hope you enjoyed the coverage. Until tomorrow, it's goodbye from all of us here at Cricinfo. Goodnight, sleep well, take care. Cheers!
3 off 2.......Tension, Tension, Tension
fullish on middle, pushed towards cover for a single, Rajasthan wouldn't mind that
4 off 3....
Just one more wicket to go. Malinga comes in. Harbhajan on strike, Mumbai have the right man on strike
run out, Mumbai are committing suicide here, full toss outside off, tries to swing it away, gets a leading edge towards mid-off, tries to run through to complete a single, Yusuf Pathan at mid-off collects and throws down the stumps at the non-striker's end to find Nanda well short
Munaf gets ready. Mumbai are eight down. A run-a-ball needed.
What drama. . 4 needed off 4 now. Munaf has pulled things back. Will this go to the super over? Thank god they are not cutting to the advertisements. Chetanya Nanda comes in.
yorker on middle, trapped in front, tries to dig it out in the leg side, is rapped on the pads and the umpire raises his finger, struck on the back foot and was plumb, would have hit middle and leg
4 off 5....
beaten, swings way after pitching, tries to nudge it down to third man, misses, dot ball
4 needed off 6. Dhawal to face. Munaf to bowl. The extras have made a monumental difference here
full toss outside off, dabbed to cover and sets off, a throw to the non-striker's end but he fails to pick it cleanly and the batsman has completed the single
bowls the fourteenth wide of the innings, what a mess, gifts them a run down the leg side
dot ball, quicker one bowled full on the off, pushed back to the bowler,what a game
He's done a stupendous job here, but with six needed off 8 balls, Mumbai still hold the advantage, They're just one hit away. Dhawal Kulkarni comes in
run out, was yorked on leg stump, tried to scamper a single after digging it out, didn't realise the ball was lying just short of the keeper, Ojha picks it up and clips the bails to find Nayar short
that's the decisive blow!! Flighted outside leg from round the wicket, he's made room, and smacks it cleanly in the gap between deep cover and long-off, goes all the way, and Mumbai have the edge
flighted outside off, smashes it down to long-on, well struck but straight to the fielder
quicker one bowled outside leg stump, tries to smash it through cover, mistimes it on the off side, gets a single
Botha to finish off here
What a wonderful cameo this has been. Rajasthan, remember, have bowled 13 wides so far, and let it slip just when they had the match under control. It's not over yet, but with 14 needed off 12, and four wickets in hand, you've got to favour the batting team.
slower one bowled fullish outside off, slapped to extra cover for a single to keep the strike
full toss on the off, just punches it wide of Yusuf again at long-on for two more, excellent throw but the dive saves him
17 off 14, neck and neck. The game has changed in a matter of minutes. That's Twenty20 for you
stunning fielding, or so it seemed, game on folks, slightly short outside off, pulls it away in the gap between long-on and deep midwicket, Yusuf Pathan stretches to flick it back in and crashes into the hoardings but his effort is in vain as he's made contact with the ropes, given a four, and the nerves pile on
short of a good length outside off, bends low and swings it away wide of a diving Chitnis at deep square leg, flung himself to is right but fails to reach it, a one bounce four
low full toss outside off, bends low and drags it to deep midwicket, poor fielding, or so it seemed, Smith throws it straight into the umpire and they steal another single, it's all allowed
slower one bowled short on middle, pulls it towards deep square leg, but only gets a single
28 off 18. Seems so much closer, and achievable now. Munaf is back
full toss, dismissed, smashed away between deep square leg and deep midwicket for a timely boundary, the last two balls messed it up for Botha there
it appeared for a moment that he missed out, full toss on leg stump, swings hard, doesn't connect well, but manages to squeeze the gap wide of Shane Warne at short fine, beats deep square-leg to the boundary
Kingsmead, Durban | |
Toss | Rajasthan Royals, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2009 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 16.30 start, First Session 16.30-17.50, Interval 17.50-18.10, Second Session 18.10-19.30 |
Match days | 14 May 2009 - daynight (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Rajasthan Royals 2, Mumbai Indians 0 |
Over 20 • MI 143/10