The thrilling low-scoring match was played out at the MCA Stadium, Pune between the two Maharashtrian teams, Mumbai Indians and Sahara Pune Warriors. With eight runs needing off the last two ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar managed the penultimate ball for a boundary but failed to deliver on the last ball and PWI succumbed to the one-run loss.

Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh won the toss and chose to bat first. Openers James Franklin and Sachin Tendulkar began the innings with caution and started setting up an attacking base. A run-a-ball opening partnership was ended on 50 in the 8th over. Rohit Sharma batting at number three fell cheaply.

With the score 81/2 in the 11th over, Mumbai hoped for a total around 160. All the dreams crashed as they fell to a spectacular collapse. Sachin was first out to Ashish Nehra for 34. Then Mumbai from 88/3 fell down to 93/7. From that point, there was no brilliant recovery possible. Mumbai hobbled their way to 120 somehow. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2 wickets for just 9 runs in his three overs.

Robin Uthappa started positively for Pune and stroked two boundaries and a six. The chase of 120 was well within the reach and needed only sensible cricket. Jesse Ryder struggled at the other end with 13-ball 9. After Uthappa’s dismissal, Pune’s innings fell flat.

The major blame of the innings slow-down goes to Saurav Ganguly, he labored his way to 24-ball 16 runs which ultimately took the chase away from Pune. The only fighter that provided a winning chance for Pune was Mithun Manhas. He batted for 34 balls and with five boundaries scored 42 runs.

With Lasith Malinga cramping up batsmen in the death overs, Pune’s task became more difficult. Munaf Patel contained them in the last over and Mumbai won the match by a single.

Brief Scores:

Mumbai Indians 120 for 9 (Tendulkar 34, Bhuvneshwar 2-9, Nehra 2-19) beat Pune Warriors 119 for 6 (Manhas 42*, Harbhajan 2-18, Malinga 2-25) by one run