IPL 2021: Pollard Powers Mumbai To A Thrilling Last Ball Win Over Chennai

Kieron Pollard smashed 87 off 34 balls to help Mumbai Indians(MI) chase down 219 runs against Chennai Super Kings(CSK) in the 27th match of IPL 2021 on Saturday. 

Brief Score: Chennai Super Kings - 218/4 (Ambati Rayudu - 72*; Moeen Ali - 58) & Mumbai Indians - 219/6 (Kieron Pollard - 87*; Quinton de Kock - 38) 

IPL 2021, Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, 27th Match

Chasing 219, MI was off to a flyer as Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock hit 71 runs in 49 balls for the first wicket. Sharma hit 35 from 24 balls with the help of four fours and a six while de Kock hit 38. 

Three quick wickets just after the powerplay pushed Mumbai to the backfoot as Chennai tried to control the middle overs of the game with both the spinners - Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja on. 

However, after those wickets, Kieron Pollard and Krunal Pandya added 89 runs in just 44 balls for the fourth wicket to keep Mumbai in the hunt. Krunal scored valuable 32 runs off 23 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes. 

After Krunal got out, Hardik Pandya joined Pollard in the middle and continued with the momentum they had as Chennai was under the pump. Pandya played a cameo of 16 off 7 which included two sixes. 

In the last over of the match, MI needed 16 runs with Pollard on the strike and Dhawal Kulkarni at the other end. He reduced the target to two runs on the last ball after hitting two fours and a six in that over of Lungi Ngidi. On the last ball, Pollard pushed the ball towards mid-wicket to seal the match with four wickets in hand. 

Earlier, Mumbai sent in Chennai to bat first. CSK started well despite losing Ruturaj Gaikwad in the first over. Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali smashed their way to a 108 run partnership in just 61 balls for the second wicket. 

Ali hit 58 in 36 balls which included five sixes and as many fours while du Plessis reached his fifty in 28 balls with help of four sixes and two fours. 

CSK lost three quick wickets inside two overs to bring MI back into the game. 

However, Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja stitched another 102 run partnership in 56 balls to give a perfect finish to the team. Rayudu, in particular, looked in sublime touch as he scored 72 in just 27 balls as he hit four fours and seven sixes.