When it looked like Mumbai Indians were on course of setting an average target for Chennai Super Kings to chase, Hardik Pandya jumped in and powered the hosts to a respectable total at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old made his way to the crease after Krunal Pandya’s wicket left Mumbai at 112-4 in 16.4 overs and took the total to a respectable 170-5.
KEY STATS
Runs: 25
Balls: 8
Fours: 1
Sixes: 3
Strike rate: 312.50
Ball-by-ball analysis:
Ball 1 (0): Good bouncer by Dwayne Bravo. Pandya lets it carry to the keeper.
Ball 2 (1): Full length delivery by Bravo and Pandya flicks it to deep square leg for a single.
Ball 3 (6): A good-length delivery by Shardul Thakur, just outside the off-stump. Pandya dispatches it far and beyond square leg and into the stands.
These last two overs could change the match. #MIvCSK
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 3, 2019
Ball 4 (1): Better from Thakur, full-length delivery and Pandya slices it to point for a single.
Ball 5 (1): A replica of the previous ball faced by Pandya. Bravo delivers it full and outside the off-stump and Pandya puts Kieron Pollard on strike with a single to point.
Ball 6 (6): Bravo places it on a platter with a rather slow, full-ish ball, bowled straight to the wicket. Pandya plays a helicopter shot to set the ball sailing over the ropes on the leg side.
Ball 7 (4): Bravo goes for full length and outside the off-stump again. This time the 25-year-old drives it through extra cover for a boundary.
MUST WATCH: The Pollard-Pandya last over carnage 😮😮
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 3, 2019
Full video here ▶️https://t.co/7kgiaB3Nsc #MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/pLdU2pyRID
Ball 8 (6): The Windies star replicates his previous delivery, only wider. Pandya slices it over point to take Mumbai’s total to 170 with that six off the final ball of the innings.
The last three overs yielded 51 runs for Mumbai and the last over went for 29 alone. Pandya’s cameo was definitely the game-changer in this intense tie.