Mumbai Indians grasped the semi-final spot

Mumbai Indians 4-152 (Rohit Sharma 51*, Dwayne Smith 48, Brad Hogg 2-26) beat Perth Scorchers 6-149 (Sam Whiteman 51*, Ashton Agar 35, Nathan Coulter –Nile 3-19, Pragyan Ojha 2-17) by six wickets

Rohit Sharma led the invasion on Perth Scorchers whereas Dwayne Smith and rest of the batsmen assisted him well in the most important match of the event.

Perth Scorchers scored 149 runs after losing six wickets at the close of the 20th over and Mumbai Indians blasted 151 with six wickets in hand and 28 deliveries still available.

Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his majestic unbeaten innings of 51 off 24 mere balls.

The 19th match of the Champions League Twenty20, Group A was played on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma won the toss for Mumbai Indians and asked his rival team to bat first. Ashton Agar came in to open the innings with his skipper, Simon Katich, and they scored 35 runs in seven overs that included 3 boundaries from the first. Agar hit another 3 fours in the coming overs and was clean bowled by Pragyan Ojha for 35 off 40 balls with 6 hits out of the rope. The wicket fell at 55 in 9.2 overs and Katich followed him three balls later for 13.

Rohit Sharma - Majestic unbeaten knock of 51 off 24 mere balls
Rohit Sharma – Majestic unbeaten knock of 51 off 24 mere balls

Hilton Cartwright and the debutant, Sam Whiteman, steadied the ship by hitting 5 fours in the next three overs and they kept the score board moving. Whiteman hit the first six of the day in the 15th over which produced 18 runs as Cartwright was gone at 114 for 28. The bowlers of Mumbai Indians picked up a few quick wickets while Sam Whiteman smashed his maiden Twenty20 fifty on the fifth ball of the final over with a four. He secured his end for 51 off 32 mere balls with 2 lofty sixes and 6 fours as Perth Scorchers reached 149 with four wickets remaining in 20 overs.

Nathan Coulter-Nile was the chief wicket taker with three, Pragyan Ojha got two and Rishi Dhawan held one wicket.

Mumbai Indians required 150 in 14.2 overs to win the game and qualify for the semi finals. Dwayne Smith along with Sachin Tendulkar went in for the chase in a stormy way. The first took off smartly by hitting 1 six and 2 fours while Tendulkar was caught by Whiteman off Jason Behrendorff for a duck. Glenn Maxwell walked in next but returned to the dressing room for just 10 runs and was replaced by Rohit Sharma. Smith continued with his assault by hitting 1 six and 2 fours while Sharma opened up by dispatching 12 runs on the last three balls of the sixth over. Dwayne Smith was caught superbly by Behrendorff off Bead Hogg for 48 from 25 with 3 skied sixes and 5 fours.

Kieron Pollard associated next with Sharma and they were sending the ball out of the rope at will. The latter was the most aggressive of the two and the hundred of the innings was posted in just nine overs. The fourth wicket stand was enhanced to 136 in 12.3 overs when the stumps of Pollard were dislodged by Hogg for 23 off 1 six and 2 fours. Rohit Sharma punished Joel Paris for 1 six and a couple of fours and rushed to his 26th Twenty20 half century on 23 mere balls. Ambati Rayudu hit two back to back sixes in the 14th over and won the match for his side. Sharma stood firm at his end for 51 off just 24 balls with 4 towering sixes and 3 fours as Mumbai India plundered 4-152 runs.

Jason Behrendorff and    Brad Hogg were the only successful bowlers with two wickets each.

Mumbai Indians grabbed the highly charged encounter with a wide margin of six wickets and booked their berth in the semi-final spot.

Team standings in Group A

Rajasthan Royals

Matches 4 – Won 4 – Points 16 – Net Run Rate +0.960

Mumbai Indians

Matches 4 – Won 2 – lost 1 – N/R 1 – Points 10 – N RR +1.068

Otago

Matches 4 – Won 2 – Lost 1 – N/R 1 – Points 10 – N RR +0.869

Lions

Matches 4 – Lost 3 – N/R 1 – Points 2 – N RR -0.726

Perth Scorchers

Matches 4 – Lost 3 – N/R 1 – Points 2 – N RR -2.851


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