Published: May 22, 2017, 02:01 PM (IST)
Edited: May 22, 2017, 02:04 PM (IST)
Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017, finally, ends. A cliff-hanger it was, the final, but Mumbai Indians (MI) went the distance and clinched their third IPL title on the last ball at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad. Sealing the top spot with a victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the league stage, Mumbai thought of scripting yet another history. However, they succumbed to Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) for the third time in Qualifier 1. In a low-scoring affair against KKR in Qualifier 2, Mumbai eased to victory with the help of their bowlers. Mumbai had an uphill task once again as they joined RPS in the final. However, that last delivery of the final over would be remembered for years to come by both sides.
Mumbai showed a never-seen-before attitude when they began their campaign. They received the first jolt with a 7-wicket loss against RPS. However, they won 6 successive games then; something Mumbai had never achieved before. In a last-minute panic against RPS in Wankhede, Mumbai lost their second game of the season by 3 runs. Yet, Mumbai continued their winning-streak, even if it meant a Super Over against Gujarat Lions (GL). With a win against Delhi Daredevils (DD), Mumbai more or less secured their spot in playoffs. It was followed by two successive defeats against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). Nevertheless, they held their nerves and found the way to the top.
Mumbai’s success potion includes several factors: Lethal opening combination of Parthiv Patel and Jos Buttler, Nitish Rana’s blazing heroics, Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya’s finishing touches, impeccable bowling by Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya, Lasith Malinga and likes and lastly their bench strength.
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Let us take a look at how the champions fared this season, rating them on a scale of 1 to 10 based on their performance:
Jasprit Bumrah (16 matches| 20 wickets at 30.54 | SR: 18.10 | ECO: 7.35) 9.5/10:
Another terrific season and yet another time Bumrah proved to be a dangerous bowler in the death. Be it his toe-crunching yorkers in the Super Over, which was one of the spells that clinched the game from the jaws of GL, or turning the game around for Mumbai in the 17th over of the final against RPS, Bumrah has been a go to man for his side. Although Bumrah was assisted with some flawless bowling by Mitchell Johnson, Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, he dominated in most of the innings. With this, Bumrah finished with 20 wickets and also as No. 3 bowler in the Purple Cap list. He has not only lived up to the tag of a death bowler, but has also become an interesting prospect to watch out for in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Lasith Malinga (12 matches | 11 wickets at 34.72 | SR: 24.45 | ECO: 8.52) 9/10:
Being a part of the squad for 10 years and carving a niche in the side is a daunting task. However, Malinga covered up for the past year,where he missed out due to injury and ended with 11 wickets at the end of this season. Malinga’s deceptive bowling continued to leave the batsmen puzzled. It was in IPL 2015 that he helped Mumbai reach the final and this time it was his economical bowling that ensured his side ended with the third title. There were moments when Malinga leaked away too many runs, especially in the game against KXIP where he ended with very unusual figures of 0 for 45. But there was not a single commentator or player in the side who could not stop praising Malinga’s efforts for Mumbai’s success.
Mitchell McClenaghan (14 matches | 19 wickets at 26.68 | SR: 17.05 | ECO: 9.38) 8.5/10:
The kiwi pacer has been an integral part of Mumbai’s success since his debut for the side in 2015. Last year, McClenaghan ended with 17 wickets and was placed at the third position in the Purple Cap. This time he achieved almost similar figures with 19 wickets and was placed just below his teammate Bumrah in the Purple Cap list. McClenaghan has been effective with the new ball and has got wickets upfront. His wicket of David Warner against SRH off the first ball remains one of his best. Although he was whacked for the maximum during the game against KXIP in Wankhede, McClenaghan’s comeback and wicket of Marcus Stoinis showed his calibre as a fine bowler.
Parthiv Patel (16 matches | 395 runs at 24.68) 8/10:
Unfazed by the change of opening partners, Parthiv continued to dominate for Mumbai with his hard-hitting skills. His total of 395 runs consisted of 2 fifties at 24.68. He always provided the start but was unable to turn them into big scores. Parthiv also found a stable partnership along with Buttler on numerous occasions with the best one being 83-run stand while playing against KXIP for the first time. His best fifty this season was against RPS in the Qualifiers. On the Wankhede pitch that left the hosts stunned, Parthiv’s composed innings was the only talking point from Mumbai.
Mitchell Johnson (5 matches | 7 wickets at 20.14 | SR: 17.14| ECO: 7.05) 8/10:
Returning to his home turf, Johnson played a perfect replacement for McClenaghan. Picked for INR 2 crores in this year’s IPL auction, Johnson ended with 7 wickets and also made a valuable contribution with the bat along with Krunal in the final. He was equally lauded for his exceptional bowling in the death and got consecutive wickets in the final over against RPS in a bid to clinch the third title. That’s when Johnson announced his comeback in style.
Krunal Pandya (13 matches | 243 runs at 34.71, 10 wickets at 27.30) 7.5/10:
Krunal was a star-in–the-making in the last season.This time he ended the IPL 10 on a stylish note. He not only was effective with the ball with 10 wickets, but also was one of the lynchpins in the middle-order. His innovative shots and that intent to win the game for his side was witnessed on numerous occasions. Being his first IPL final, Krunal ensured it was a night to remember with a calm innings of 38-ball 47, thereby earning the Man of the Match award.
Kieron Pollard (17 matches | 385 runs at 29.61) 7/10:
Every season there is always a Pollard special but this time around, one could see many such innings from the Trinidadian. His best came against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Bengaluru where he was adjudged Man of the Match for his 47-ball 70. Pollard remained the second best batsman after Parthiv for MI. Pollard also entertained his fans by constantly remaining in the news, be it for deliberately taking short run for helping his side win against KXIP or for his spat against Sanjay Manjrekar on social media.
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Karn Sharma (9 matches | 49 runs at 8.16, 13 wickets at 16.46 | SR: 14.15 | ECO: 6.97) 7/10:
Many eyebrows were raised when Karn was picked by Mumbai for INR 3.5 crore this season. Earlier playing with SRH, he was released by the franchise and Mumbai decided to bolster their bowling attack with a spinner. Karn, however, managed to shut the critics with his spin and also added some runs down the order. Karn also filled the shoes of Harbhajan successfully in the playoffs. His best figures of 4 for 16 came against KKR in the Qualifier 2 , earning his first Man of the Match award of the season. He also ended with highest score of 19 against KXIP, supporting the big man Pollard at a crucial juncture.
Nitish Rana (13 matches | 333 runs at 30.27) 7/10:
One of the emerging players of this season, Rana filled the shoes of Ambati Rayudu well and also earned all the accolades. Although he shared the maximum number of Man of the Match awards this season with his teammate McClenaghan, Rana’s performance this season was enough to catch the eye of the national selectors. His poor form in the last few games enabled Rayudu to return to the side. However, he did enough to leave an impact.
Hardik Pandya (17 matches | 250 runs at 35.71, 6 wickets at 35.50) 6.5/10:
If there is someone who can finish the game for Mumbai after Pollard, it has to be Hardik. Although he has not been much effective with the bowling, it is his batting that earned him the rewards. Hardik ended the season with 250 runs at 35.71. However, as per Hardik, his best bowling was against KKR ahead of the playoffs. The final over against KKR reminded Hardik of the Bangladesh match in ICC T20 World Cup 2016.
Jos Buttler (10 matches | 272 runs at 27.20) 6/10:
After playing in the middle-order in the first season, Buttler was promoted as an opener and was impressive on the first go. He scored a 19-ball 38 against RPS in Mumbai’s first game. He continued his consistency and even found his name in the stylish player list for his innovative shots. Unfortunately his stint with MI was short-lived due to national duties. But during the time he spent with Mumbai, Buttler amassed 272 runs and also scored a fifty.
Harbhajan Singh (11 matches | 8 wickets at 33.25 | SR: 30.75 | ECO: 6.48) 5.5/10:
The Turbanator has been Mumbai’s preferred spinner over the years and once again he proved why he remains a vital cog for the side. With 8 wickets off 11 matches at a miserly economy rate, Harbhajan remained Rohit Sharma’s go to man. However, with Karn’s impressive performance, Harbhajan was sidelined but continued to shower his support for the side.
Rohit Sharma (17 matches | 333 runs at 23.78) 5.5/10:
It was under him that Mumbai won their maiden title in 2013 and it was under him that Mumbai made record with a third title. Although Rohit has disappointed many with his on and off performance or demoting himself at No. 4, he has earned all the respect with his captaincy. Be it giving Bumrah the new ball or bringing Karn within the powerplay or motivating his pacers Malinga and McClenaghan, despite leaking too many runs, Rohit has taken calculative steps. That’s not all; he has been the only player to be part of IPL-winning side four times. Also he completed a total of 4,000-plus runs in IPL.
Lendl Simmons (7 matches | 137 runs at 19.57) 4.5/10:
Simmons might not have been called early on with Buttler taking up the role as an opener, he announced himself in his first match of this season. With a 43-ball 66, Simmons was adjudged the Man of the Match. He also became a regular opener along with Parthiv when Buttler left to attend his national duties. Where Simmons played 13 matches last season, he was seen in just 7 this time. Simmons had a decent outing and ended with 137 runs.
Ambati Rayudu (5 matches | 91 runs at 18.20) 4/10:
Being injured in the first match against RPS, Rayudu’s absence paved the way for a new player on the block. However, Rana’s poor form forced Mumbai to recall Rayudu back to the squad. His 37-ball 63 against KKR ahead of the Qualifiers was enough for Mumbai to persist with him. However, his poor run in the playoffs let down many around and propelled many to think whether it was fair to sideline Rana.
Saurabh Tiwary (1 match | 52 runs at 52) 3.5/10:
Rohit and Mumbai’s experimentation to bring the bench strength into the limelight worked wonders. Saurabh, who returned to the Mumbai camp in this year’s auction, opened the innings for the first time and notched up his first fifty in his only game.
Vinay Kumar (1 match | 2 wickets at 15.50) 3/10:
Replacing bowlers like Bumrah, Malinga and McClenaghan is a tough task. However, Kumar was effective with his bowling on the first go and ended with 2 wickets in his only game.
***
Players who were benched: Shreyas Gopal, Siddhesh Lad, Jagadeesha Suchith, Jitesh Sharma, Deepak Punia, Nicholas Pooran, Asela Gunaratne, Krishnappa Gowtham and Kulwant Khejroliya
