Hyderabad:Paceman Mitchell Johnson inspired Mumbai Indians to a landmark third Indian Premier League title with crucial wickets for a single run victory over Rising Pune Supergiant on Sunday.
Mumbai are the first team to win the IPL three times in its 10 year history and captain Rohit Sharma said it had been a “brilliant effort” to turn just 129-8 into a winning score in the tense final.
“I couldn’t ask for more. Whenever you’re defending a total like that, the first thing you have to do is believe,” said Sharma.
Johnson (3-26) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-26) got assistance from the pitch as they turned the screws on Pune with time running out.
Australian Johnson’s three wickets included the prize scalp of Pune skipper Steve Smith in the final over. Bumrah’s two strikes included the big wicket of former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (10), playing in his seventh IPL final.
Chasing 130, Pune batsmen faltered on a slow track to end on 128-6 at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Smith’s dogged knock went in vain as Pune, who needed 11 in the final over, lost three wickets to Johnson’s left-arm pace and some sharp fielding.
Daniel Christian was run out while going for the third run to tie the game. Mumbai erupted with joy after becoming the only team to win three titles after triumphs in 2013 and 2015.
Pune, who ended seventh in the eight-team event last season, lost an early wicket but Ajinkya Rahane (44) played sensible cricket with a 54-run partnership with Smith. Pune seemed to be cruising at 98-2 in the 17th over with Smith and Dhoni at the crease but Mumbai had other ideas in their fourth appearance in an IPL final.
Pune pace spearhead Jaydev Unadkat took an impressive 2-19 to restrict Mumbai after they elected to bat first. Unadkat, 25, who has played one Test and seven one-day internationals for India, remained two wickets behind the highest wicket-taker in Bhuvneshwar Kumar (26 wickets) of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Sharma broke the shackles with the first boundary of the innings on the opening delivery of the sixth over. Three more followed with paceman Lockie Ferguson at the receiving end.
But Sharma’s four boundaries were the only bright spot in his 22-ball 24 before losing his wicket to leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
Mumbai slipped to 79-7, but Krunal Pandya’s heavy hitting 47 lifted the team to respectability. He put on a fighting 50-run eight-wicket partnership with Johnson (13 not out). AFP
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