Ruthless Pollard fails to save Mumbai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates — A blistering half century from West Indies allrounder Kieron Pollard brought Mumbai Indians to the brink of victory over Darren Sammy’s Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.
However despite Pollard clobbering the bowling his brutality was not enough as Mumbai Indians crashed to a 15 run defeat, their fifth straight loss in the seventh edition of the IPL.
Pollard kept alive the Indians run chase by powering to 78 in 48 balls and leading an innings that threatened to take the game away from Sunrisers at Dubai International Cricket Stadium
He hit three fours and six sixes and lost his wicket in the final over as the Indians reached 157 for seven chasing Hyderabad’s 172 for five.
Hyderabad were buoyed by excellent knocks from David Warner (65) and KL Rahul (46) to take them to their commanding total after they were in trouble early in the game at 38 for two.
Sammy contributed 10 from four balls hitting a six and a four and picked up a wicket for 20 runs.
Pollard raised hopes of a victory smoking one over mid-wicket for a boundary and bludgeoning two massive sixes as the required run-rate touched 12.
The big Trinidadian, who received little support, brutalized the bowling of Amit Mishra in particular as 27 runs came off one of his overs allowing Mumbai to wrest the initiative for the first time in the game
He was in full cry against the leg spinner hitting his over-pitched deliveries in the upper tier of the stands and creaming two quicker ones down the ground for another six and a boundary that left every fielder unmoved.
Five of his six sixes came off Mishra who ended with 0 for 54.
With Mumbai needing 20 of the last over Pollard was yorked by Irfan Pathan, playing across the line and getting an inside edge onto the stumps.
The final deliveries leaked only four runs giving Hyderabad their second win of IPL 2014 and inflicting Mumbai their fifth straight defeat.
The defeat means that Mumbai Indians now need to win most of the nine matches in the Indian leg to make it to the knockout stage of the tournament.