Ajinkya Rahane scored a delightful half-century to lead Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) to an effortless 9-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 1 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016 at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Saturday. Rahane got only one game for India in the T20 World Cup 2016, but showed that he ought to have played a lot more in the tournament. Chasing a tiny 122-run target, RPS never looked in any sort of trouble on what was an easy batting track. Rahane scored 66 not out to lead RPS to the top of the points table. Full Cricket Score: Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS), IPL 2016 Match 1 at Mumbai
Rahane and his opening partner Faf du Plessis picked off the MI bowling with consummate ease. Rahane started off the chase with a boundary, driving a Mitchell McClenaghan full toss on middle stump down the ground. Thereafter he played his usual brand of attractive cricket as du Plessis took the early risks. It seemed du Plessis had been given the license to play his shots early, but he ended up trying a bit too hard to take on the bowlers. Full Cricket Update Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS), IPL 2016 Match 1
Despite hitting 3 sixes, du Plessis ended up scoring 34 off 33 balls. His was the only wicket that fell as he was bowled by Harbhajan Singh while missing a sweep shot. Kevin Pietersen, batting at No. 3, ensured that there were no more wickets as he remained unbeaten on 21 off 14 balls with 2 sixes. Rahane ended the match with a couple fo sixes of his own, as he ramined unconquered on 66 off 42 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. RPS smashed past the defending champions to win the opening match of IPL 9 by 9 wickets. IPL 2016 Schedule, Time Table, Fixture PDF Download
Earlier, it took a late fightback from Harbhajan Singh to take MI to a defendable total of 121 for 8. RPS were making their IPL debut, but the way they bowled at MI it looked like they were 9-season veterans. The slide began in the second over itself. Lendl Simmons and Rohit Sharma, opening for MI, played out the first over from RP Singh. Bowling the second over of the tournament, Ishant Sharma struck with his first ball to get Rohit out LBW for 7 off 5. In his next over Ishant bowled Simmons for 8 with a tremendous swining yorker.
MI decided to gamble by senind in Hardik Pandya at No. 3 ahead of the likes of Jos Buttler and Ambati Rayudu. Pandya managed to hit a couple of streaky boundaries, but he was soon done in by Mitchell Marsh, top-edging to MS Dhoni for 9. Buttler, making his IPL debut, lasted only 2 balls before edging to Ravichandran Ashwin for a duck. The leading edge was caught brilliantly by Ashwin, and MI were now 30 for 4 after 5 overs.
That was far from the end of MI’s woes. Ambati Rayudu was the only batsman who showed any gumption, top-scoring in the innings with 22 from 27 balls. Kieron Pollard was done in by slowness of Rajat Bhatia, getting out LBW for 1. Shreyas Gopal scratched around to make 2 from 16 balls but holed out to Ajinkya Rahane off newcomer Murugan Ashwin. Rayudu was the seventh man to be dismissed, hitting Ravichandran Ashwin to Faf du Plessis.
Harbhajan then came out swinging, hitting a slew of boundaries and a six to help MI beat their lowest-ever score of 87. He remained unbeaten on 45 off 30 balls, ensuring that MI managed to get to a defendable total of 121 for 8 by the end. As many as four RPS bowlers who struck off the first ball of their spell. Ishant had Rohit LBW, Marsh had Pandya top-edge to Dhoni, Bhatia had Pollard LBW, and R Ashwin had Rayudu hit one to du Plessis. Even M Ashwin struck in his first over. What this meant was that MI were never able to get a decent partnership. As far as debut innings go, RPS would feel quite good about themselves. Every bowler took at least 1 wicket, and Bhatia and M Ashwin went for just 2.5 and 4 runs per over respectively in their 4 overs.
Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 121 for 8 in 20 overs (Harbhajan Singh 45*; Ishant Sharma 2 for 36, Mitchell Marsh 2 for 21) lost to Rising Pune Supergiants 126 for 1 in 14.4 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 66*; Harbhajan Singh 1 for 24) by 9 wickets.
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is an animal lover and comic, film and TV geek. A fast bowler at heart, he enjoys watching a good, low-scoring game of cricket. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
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