 Bravo takes Mumbai Indians closer to semis
19th May 2008 09:00 IST
Agencies
Mumbai Indians notched up their sixth win on the trot to continue to be in hunt for a semi-final place after pipping Deccan Chargers by 25 runs in their Indian Premier League encounter in Hyderabad Sunday night.
The Mumbai team first scored a competitive 178/7, thanks to some sensible batting by Abhishek Nayar and Dwayne Bravo, and then restricted hosts to 153/7 in 20 overs.
The win was a sweet revenge for the visitors as they had lost by comprehensive 10-wickets margin against Chargers at the home-tie.
Bravo, who was playing his last match in the tournament, ended the tournament on a high note as he first collected 30 crucial runs and then took three wickets, playing a vital role in his team's victory.
Venugopal Rao top scored for the Hyderabad team with a sparkling 57-run knock before walking back to hut.
It was third half-century for Rao in the tournament and it came off just 38-balls with the help of four boundaries and three sixes.
Rao also shared a 86-run stand with Dwaraka Ravi Teja (37), castled by Bravo (3/24), for the fifth wicket.
Mumbai Indians pacers -- Ashish Nehra and Bravo -- gave their team a good start by bowling a tight spell and also creating opportunities for their fielders.
However, Rohan Raje dropped Adam Gilchrist (13) when he failed to hold on to a catch when the rival skipper chipped one high in the air. He was on four at that time.
Shahid Afridi (0) tried to extract maximum runs from the very first ball he faced and swung his arms to slice an off-stump ball bowled by Bravo, resulting in going miles in the sky and eventually landing in safe hands of Dominic Thronely.
Nehra and Bravo gave away just 20 runs in the first four overs, putting the rival batsmen under pressure.
Sri Lankan pacer Dilhara Fernando then dealt severe double blow to the hosts by dismissing Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma (6) on consecutive deliveries in his very first over, fifth of the innings.
This left the hosts stuttering 20/3 and leaving a big task for Rao and Chamara Silva.
The duo put on 36-runs, doing the repair work, but could not stretch their effort as Silva (17) was undone by a misjudgment by umpire Billy Doctrove when he raised finger on a Nayar caught behind appeal.
continued.. |
