MI vs RPS, as it happened: 7th IPL final for MS Dhoni as Pune stun Mumbai Indians

Table-toppers Mumbai Indians will be itching to avenge their double defeat against Rising Pune Supergiant in the league stage when the two teams face-off in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League. There is a lot at stake as the winning team goes straight into the final to be played in Hyderabad on May 21, while the loser gets another chance in the Qualifier 2, to be played on May 19 in Bengaluru.

Supergiant is the only team to have defeated Mumbai Indians twice in the league stage, both home and away and this fact would be playing on the minds of Mumbai players.

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Post-match:

“I think 160 was below par to be honest. Probably the worst batting performance of this season for us,” says Rohit Sharma.

“It’s been good this year, three times we’ve beaten them now. It was a big game,” says Steve Smith.

Man of the match: Washington Sundar

That’s it from us, back tomorrow with the first knock-out of IPL 10.

11:40 pm: Rising Pune Supergiant have reached the IPL final!

For the 7th time in 10 years, MS Dhoni will feature in the final of IPL as a clinical RPS side defeat Mumbai on a slow-ish, uncharacteristic Wankhede pitch. Pune win by 20 runs.

After 20 overs, Mumbai Indians 142/9: It’s a hat-trick of wins by Pune against Mumbai.

After 19 overs, Mumbai Indians 133/8: Oh, nearly a stunner of a catch by Rahane-Smith but the former had just stepped on the rope before throwing the ball back. 9 off that over, Mumbai need just the

After 18 overs Mumbai Indians 124/8: Couple of dropped catches & 13 runs off that Dan Christian over but 39 from the last 2 overs is a bit much perhaps to ask off Bumrah and McClenaghan.

After 17 overs Mumbai Indians 111/8: Another wicket goes down as Dhoni takes a simple catch off Karn Sharma’s miscued Pull. Unadkat concedes just 4 runs. All but over for MI.

After 16 overs Mumbai Indians 107/7: As Sanjay Manjrekar and Simon Doull are arguing over dew, RPS are marching towards a win. Just 4 runs from Christian.

After 15 overs Mumbai Indians 103/7: Shardul Thakur, the Mumbai man, has probably finished this game for his local team at his home ground! Both the set batsmen are gone! Krunal and Parthiv are back in the pavilion. Both caught at long-off by Dan Christian off slower balls!

After 13 overs Mumbai Indians 85/5: What an excellent spell from Washington Sundar! Finishes with his best figures this year after just 4 runs in the final over. Krunal and Parthiv unable to score anything but singles. Krunal almost chipped one to long off.

4-0-16-3. Take a bow, Washington Sundar!

After 11 overs Mumbai Indians 81/5: If you’re wondering why there was a long gap between updates, Lockie Ferguson just took forever to finish his over which started with a big wicket of Hardik Pandya, who swatted it straight to long on. That break was followed by three wides in the over. RPS right on top.

After 11 overs Mumbai Indians 75/4 : The required run rate is just under 10 as Dan Christian gives just 4 runs in that over. Parthiv on 46 off 29 balls.

After 10 overs, Mumbai Indians 71/4: A good couple of overs for Mumbai Indians as Hardik Pandya and Parthiv release the pressure. 11 runs from Shardul’s over and then 9 from Zampa’s. Pandya’s six off Zampa one of the shots of the day so far, a lovely lofted drive over long-off.

After 8 overs, Mumbai Indians 51/4: Washington Sundar, you beauty! Gets the big, big wicket of Pollard! Near-carbon copy of the Rayudu dismissal, a low catch at short mid by Steve Smith.

Sundar’s figures: 3-0-12-3!

After 7 overs, Mumbai Indians 48/3: It was shaping into an excellent over from Ferguson with just 2 runs from 5 balls, but Pollard gets a boundary off the final over through cover to release the pressure.

After 6 overs, Mumbai Indians 42/3: What an end to the powerplay for RPS! Washington Sundar with two wickets and just one run. First, it’s the captain Rohit Sharma, who gets a bad decision not for the first time in this series. And then, Ambati Rayyudu pulls it to Smith at mid-wicket..

After 5 overs, Mumbai Indians 41/1 : RPS get the breakthrough and it’s in the most fortunate way possible. A great straight drive from Parthiv but Shardul Thakur gets down and gets the slightest of touches, Simmons backs up and just watches the stumps get knocked back. Thakur’s over still goes for 12 runs, as Parthiv continues the onslaught.

After 4 overs, Mumbai Indians 29/0 : Parthiv Patel is packing a punch! Lockie Ferguson’s pace does the trick for him as he pulls it brilliantly for his 3rd six.

After 3 overs, Mumbai Indians 19/0: Parthiv is in the mood! Starts Unadkat’s over with (a top-edge) pull for six but the pacer recovers well to concede just four singles after that.

After 2 overs, Mumbai Indians 9/0 : It’s the powerplay specialist, Washington Sundar from the other end. After a good start to the over, Parthiv produces a nonchalant flick for six!

After 1 over, Mumbai Indians 1/0 : RPS off to a good start, Unadkat (their best bowler this season) brings out his off-cutters and good length deliveries as Simmons gets just a single in that over. Watchful from Mumbai.

After 20 overs, Rising Pune Supergiant 162/4:

A MSD special-finish! 5 sixes in his innings, 2 in the last over from Bumrah. MSD finishes with 40 off 26 balls. First a muscled smash over cover and then a straight hoick, effortless at that!

After 19 overs, Rising Pune Supergiant 147/3: This is the over Pune fan’s so desperately wanted. 26 runs from it. Starts with a high full toss to Tiwary which is pulled to fine leg for 4. Free-hit follows and Tiwary launches it past long on for a six. Then it’s Dhoni turns, after another dot ball, muscles one over midwicket for six. And finishes with a high & mighty hit that clears Rohit at long off for another 6!

What an over!

After 18 overs, Rising Pune Supergiant 121/3: Just 7 runs coming from a brilliant 18th over bowled by Bumrah. The over starts with a 4 for Tiwary but Bumrah peppers Dhoni with short-of-length deliveries that skid on. Mahi is visibly annoyed at himself. How rare is that! He is on 14 off 17 balls now.

After 17 overs, Rising Pune Supergiant 114/3: Oh dear, Pune are going nowhere in this innings. Even with McClenaghan starting with a wide there’s just 5 runs in that over. All singles. Where are the boundaries, wonder Punekars.

After 16 overs, Rising Pune Supergiant 109/3: Krunal Pandya, take a bow! 4-0-22-0 in the playoffs is priceless. Tiwary and Dhoni struggle to put him away.

After 15 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 105/3 : Has the helicopter been sighted? Well, almost! A massive swing of the forearms from MSD, as he launches Karn Sharma over midwicket for 6. The crowd loved that!

After 14 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 96/3 : 5 singles & a two in that over from Bumrah, as Dhoni & Tiwary steady themselves for perhaps a final launch.

After 13 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 89/3: End of Rahane’s innings & the crowd goes up in a roar to welcome MAHI! A fine innings from Jinks comes to an end, as he is trapped in front by Karn Sharma’s straighter one. Trapped LBW.

After 12 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 83/2 (RR: 6.91): Multiple milestones for Ajinkya Rahane! Fifty & 3000 runs in IPL. The fifty would mean more to him and his team. A 39-ball effort, comes with a single off the last ball. Tiwary with a boundary to start the over and then Rahane hits a sweep that fools a fielder in the deep with late spin. Krunal concedes 11.

After 11 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 72/2: Malinga comes back into the attack and concedes 9 runs – thanks to a classic cut behind the point for a boundary by Rahane. The Mumbai man is on 44 (36 balls) while Tiwary is on 25 off 26 balls.

After 10 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 63/2: And Krunal Pandya mops up after his brother from the other end, bowling a 5-run over. Steady stuff from Krunal.

After 9 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 58/2: It’s the other Pandya from the opposite hand and BOOM - Rahane welcomes him with a dance down the track and a slap over long-off for a six! Tiwary chips in with a boundary too – a totally unintentional inside edge to fine leg. 15 runs from that over!

Mumbai Indians fans now..

After 8 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 43/2: And now a 1-run over. It’s Krunal Pandya’s turn to put the brakes Pune. Nicely mixing up his length, slowing his pace as Rahane and Tiwary struggle to put him away. Tiwary even tried the reverse sweep but found the field.

After 7 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 42/2: The first bak-sponsored shot over the boundary line of the day! Manoj Tiwary steps down and lofts Karn over long-on for his & Pune’s first six. At the first time-out, Pune’s innings has been a bit....

After 6 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 33/2: 2-run overs won’t get Pune anywhere, no? Tiwary is still feeling his way in, on 6 off 11 balls while Rahane is unable to dispatch the famous Malinga slow balls. The result? This:

After 5 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 31/2 (RR: 6.20): Spin for the first time tonight, and it’s the wrist spin of Karn Sharma. 7 runs of the over. A hint of grip and turn in that over, indicating its not going to be very high-scoring match perhaps? A brilliant inside out cover drive from Rahane makes it a decent over for RPS.

After 4 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 24/2: Jasprit Bumrah is in to the attack and concedes just 5 runs as Rahane and Manoj Tiwary deal in singles.

After 3 overs Rising Pune Supergiant 19/2 (RR: 6.33): Rahane is trying to get a move on, trying to break the shackles. First a lofted four over mid-wicket and then an exquisite cover drive – back-to-back fours. 9 runs from McClenaghan’s second.

Massive blow for Pune: Pune have lost two wickets in two overs & this time it’s the even bigger wicket of Steve Smith. Malinga gets Smith to top-edge a flick and Hardik takes a skier! Pune are already a batsman short without Ben Stokes and now they have gone and lost two in two overs.

Powerplay specialist, Mitch.

After 1 over RPS 6 for 1: Mumbai have struck early & it’s a massive wicket. The in-form Punekar Rahul Tripathi is sent back off the last ball of the first over. McClenaghan gets just a hint of swing on a full delivery and it breaches Tripathi’s defence. No boundaries, one wicket and just singles in that over. Perfect start for Mumbai!

8:00 pm: As Ravi Shastri would say, we are all in readiness for the match to start! Ajinkya Rahane and Rahul Tripathi walk out to the middle.

Play!

7:56 pm: Some #STATS coming your way!

7:50 pm: So Mumbai have decided to go without Harbhajan Singh in this match. Nitish Rana misses out, Rayudu preferred.

Mumbai XI: Parthiv, Simmons, Rohit (c), Rayudu, Krunal, Pollard, Hardik, Karn Sharma, McClenaghan, Malinga, Bumrah

Pune, as expected, have gone for the pace of Lockie Ferguson to replace Ben Stokes. That batting lineup is going to be under massive pressure.

Pune XI: Rahane, Tripathi, Smith(c), M Tiwary, MSD(w), Dan Christian, Washington, L Ferguson, Shardul, Unadkat, Zampa

Poll: Looks like quite a few think Pune start as favourites?

Team news: One change for Pune with Ben Stokes not available, Lockie Ferguson replaces him. For Mumbai Bumrah, Parthiv Patel, Malinga and McClenaghan are back.

7:30 pm:

Mumbai Indians have won the toss and surprise, surprise have opted to bowl first.

7:29 pm:

Mumbai Indians lost exactly four matches in their brilliant campaign this season. But two of those losses came against one opponent: Rising Pune Supergiant. Steve Smith’s giants were the only team to do the “double” over Mumbai.

That should have started Pune off as favourites but not really. Pune are missing two massive names: Ben Stokes and Imran Tahir. Both have been instrumental in their campaign so far. They are against a Mumbai team which beat Kolkata Knight Riders playing a second-string unit. Pune have their task cut out.

7:20 PM: Welcome to The Field’s live blog of the first knock-out match of IPL-10. The scene is Wankhede, where Mumbai Indians are hosting Rising Pune Supergiant.

Head to Head

Overall: Matches played – 4, Mumbai Indians Won – 1, Rising Pune Supergiant Won – 3
In 2017: Matches played – 2, Mumbai Indians Won – 0, Rising Pune Supergiant Won – 2