For 19 overs, Deccan Chargers looked like they were only interested in going through the motions. That is when Mumbai Indians speedster Munaf Patel decided to bring some life into the contest with a verbal tirade against Amit Mishra, who had just top edged him to the boundary. Abhijeet Kulkarni reports. Scorecard
For 19 overs, Deccan Chargers looked like they were only interested in going through the motions. That is when Mumbai Indians speedster Munaf Patel decided to bring some life into the contest with a verbal tirade against Amit Mishra, who had just top edged him to the boundary.
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The exchange definitely woke up the leg-spinner from slumber as he responded with three more boundaries as Munaf lost his cool, and the line and length that had been his forte throughout the tournament.
Munaf looked to crash the woodwork but the attempted yorkers ended up as low full tosses and Mishra had no trouble in guiding them to the fence.
The final over cost the hosts 23 runs. Had it not been for that over, the Chargers would have probably conceded defeat at the innings break. But they were buoyed after posting a total of 135, a solid effort on a wicket that is offering turn to spinners and lateral movement to seamers. Earlier, Chargers looked completely out of sorts after opting to bat. They brought in Michael Lumb to strengthen the top order but the 31-year-old lasted just two balls.
His opening partner Sunny Sohal threw his bat at every ball he faced and managed to hit two sixes.
But he missed many, and when he got out, holing out at point, Sohal forgot to even cross over to give JP Duminy the strike.
The Chargers’ batting lacked application and all the top order batsmen struggled against the impeccable line and length maintained by the Mumbai Indian bowlers. Scoring boundaries was difficult and the visitors managed just five boundaries and three sixes until the final over.