IPL 2021: Kieron Pollard's Power-Hitting Upstages Ambati Rayudu's As MI Clinch Thriller

Cricket Image for IPL 2021: Kieron Pollard's Power-Hitting Upstages Ambati Rayudu's As MI Clinch Thr (Mumbai Indians (Image Source: Google))

Kieron Pollard's power-packed 87 not out off 34 balls (6x4s, 8x6s) overshadowed Ambati Rayudu's 72 not out off 27 balls (4x4s, 7x6s) as Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by four wickets in a last-ball thriller here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday night.

Both Pollard and Rayudu butchered the bowlers who struggled to get their lengths right on a batting surface. Chasing 218, MI got off to a flying start with openers Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock adding 71 in 7.4 overs. But three quick wickets brought CSK back into the match.

Pollard then took charge and hammered the bowlers into submission. He added 89 for the fourth wicket with Krunal Pandya (32 off 23 balls) and got to his fifty in just 17 balls with a couple of boundaries on successive balls off Shardul Thakur.

With 47 runs needed in the last three overs, the Pollard-led MI took 17 runs off the 18th overs bowled by Thakur, 15 off the 19th overs bowled by Sam Curran, and 16 off the last over bowled by Lungi Ngidi to take MI over the line.

Read More