Kolkata: Mumbai Indians set their date with Chennai Super Kings on Sunday's IPL 6 final after beating Rajasthan Royals by four wickets in the second Qualifier at the Eden Gardens on Friday. Following a stellar performance in the field by Harbhajan Singh (3 for 23), Mumbai were steered towards victory by Dwayne Smith before a collapse of 4 for 16 changed the tone of the chase. In the end, Mumbai held their nerve to win with one delivery emaining, leaving Rajasthan to rue a very poor fielding effort.
After unseasonal showers in Kolkata delayed the start of the match by an hour, Rahul Dravid opted to bat and played a role in giving Rajasthan a start. Dravid packed punch into his crisply-timed strokes, especially to the leg side, and even engaged in a verbal joust with Mitchell Johnson who he drove past mid-off and clipped off the pads effortlessly. Rahane too played a couple lovely shots during his 21, the pick of the lot being a perfect cut for four off Johnson.
An opening stand of 44 ended in Harbhajan's first over - the seventh - when Rahane missed a sweep and was bowled around the legs. In his second over, Harbhajan had Shane Watson (6) caught at midwicket as a top-edged sweep failed to find distance. From 60 for 1 Rajasthan slipped to 108 for 6 as Mumbai applied the brakes. Sanju Samson (0) mistimed an on-side shot off Lasith Malinga and was taken by
12:45 AM, May 25, 2013
Live updates from the 2nd Qualifier of IPL 6 played between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Rajasthan scraped to a four-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad Wednesday night in the Eliminator thanks to a rearguard action from Australian veteran Brad Hodge who made a 29-ball 54* at No.7 to take the team to the target of 133, while Mumbai were cut down to size...
06:45 PM, May 24, 2013
Kolkata: Kolkata woke up to a cloudy morning on Friday with possibility of rain later when Rajasthan Royals take on Mumbai Indians at the Eden Gardens in the second Qualifier of IPL 6, with the winner progressing to play the final against Chennai Super Kings. Kolkata, also to host the final on Sunday, has seen clouds hanging over the city with spells of rain over the last few days, and...
11:04 AM, May 24, 2013
Kolkata: Sachin Tendulkar, who is down with a wrist injury, Thursday sweated out at the Mumbai Indians net session though he remains a doubtful starter for the second IPL qualifier against Rajasthan Royals here on Friday. His team-mate Dwayne Smith said the senior India batsman has been recovering well from the left wrist injury he sustained last week. The injury kept him out for two league games as well as...
10:05 PM, May 23, 2013
Kolkata: Mumbai Indians's explosive batsman Dwayne Smith on Thursday lamented that he has squandered many a good starts but vowed to make it count against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL Qualifier 2 on Friday. "Yes, it's frustrating. I've got a five or six starts, three fifties but did not carry on by getting out to careless shots," Smith said of his 28-ball 68 against Chennai Super Kings in the previous...
08:35 PM, May 23, 2013
Kolkata: Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians will look to reach their second IPL final when they take the field at Eden Gardens here on Friday night. Rajasthan scraped to a four-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad Wednesday night in the Eliminator thanks to a rearguard action from Australian veteran Brad Hodge who made a 29-ball 54* at No.7 to take the team to the target of 133, while Mumbai were cut...
06:44 PM, May 23, 2013
Kolkata: The threat of rain is looming over the IPL 6 final and the second qualifier to be held here, according to the Met department. It's been raining heavily in the city for the last few days as Rajasthan Royals, who eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday night at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla, prepare themselves to play Mumbai Indians in the second qualifier at the historic Eden Gardens on Friday...
11:28 AM, May 23, 2013
New Delhi: Mumbai Indians` Dinesh Karthik was fined five per cent of his match fee for breaching the Indian Premier League Code of Conduct in the first qualifier against Chennai Super Kings here. Karthik admitted to the Level 1 offence (Article 2.1.3) of showing dissent at an umpire`s decision during the match at Ferozeshah Kotla Ground last evening. For Level 1 breaches of the IPL Code of Conduct, the Match...
12:37 PM, May 22, 2013
New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has attributed his side's stupendous success in IPL to "loyalty in team selection and conservative approach" that has helped the 'Men in Yellow' make it to the fifth final in six editions of the cash-rich league. "We have shown consistency and loyalty in team selections. Moreover, the composition of our side and the kind of mix we have. The combination of selection...
12:20 PM, May 22, 2013
New Delhi: The architectures of Chennai Super Kings' win over Mumbai Indians on Tuesday night - Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey - have now set their sights on the team's fifth final in six years. Chennai, led by MS Dhoni, scored an easy 48-run win to advance to their fourth successive final in the league with Raina (82* off 42 balls) and Hussey (86* off 58 balls) playing their parts...
09:51 AM, May 22, 2013
CNN-IBN's cricket experts Murali Kartik and Shishir Hattangadi review Mumbai Indians' defeat by Chennai Super Kings in the first IPL 6 qualifier on Tuesday night. ...
08:49 AM, May 22, 2013
New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings made their fifth final in six seasons when they defeated Mumbai Indians by 48 runs in Qualifier 1 of IPL 6 at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Tuesday. While the win took Chennai directly to the final on Sunday, Mumbai still have a chance left as they will play the winner of Wednesday's Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday. Mike Hussey...
11:36 PM, May 21, 2013
Live updates from the first qualifier of IPL 6 played between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi. Having confirmed their presence in the final four with a strong run during the latter half of the league stage, both teams are coming off inconsequential defeats in their last matches - Chennai to Royal Challengers Bangalore in a rain-reduced shootout and Mumbai to Kings...
07:17 PM, May 21, 2013
New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming Monday attributed the team's success in the ongoing edition of the IPL to playing "smart cricket" and called skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni the best finisher in international cricket at the moment. "We have been quite smart this edition of the IPL. We came up with some good performances. Some of the things which we have done this year were to learn from...
09:06 AM, May 21, 2013
Dharamsala: We had often seen Adam Gilchrist massacring the opposition bowlers and taking some stunning catches behind the wickets, but on Saturday we saw him in a different 'Avatar'. Playing his last IPL match, Gilchrist not only bowled for only the second time in his 17-year long career, but also picked up his only wicket off the first ball. And the reaction after the dismissal said it all, with Gilchrist...
08:17 PM, May 18, 2013
Dharamsala: Coming to form during the later half of the tournament, Punjab posted a a stiff total of 184 that eventually turned out to be too much for the visitors, Mumbai Indians. Mumbai went in with the same side as in the game against Rajasthan Royals. Sachin Tendulkar once again missed the fixture to rest his injured hand, which meant Mumbai's opening combination remain unchanged. However, it did not work...
07:39 PM, May 18, 2013
Live updates from Game 69 between Punjab and Mumbai at Dharamsala Against the spectre of spot-fixing, the Indian Premier League will continue on its road to the play-offs as Mumbai Indian and Kings XI Punjab play their last league fixture here on Saturday. While Punjab's outside chance of reaching the top-four has already been blown away by Sunrisers Hyderabad who beat Rajasthan Royals on Friday to register their ninth win,...
03:00 PM, May 18, 2013
Dharmashala: Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been declared fit and may play in Mumbai Indians' IPL match against Kings XI Punjab here on Saturday. Tendulkar missed his side's last match against Rajasthan Royals due to a sprain on his left hand. "Sachin has recovered from the injury and is fit now, he may play tomorrow at Dharamsala," said Anil Kumble, Mumbai Indians' chief mentor. Fans visiting the HPCA stadium here...
08:47 PM, May 17, 2013
Dharamsala: Against the spectre of spot-fixing, the Indian Premier League will continue on its road to the play-offs as Mumbai Indian and Kings XI Punjab play their last league fixture here on Saturday. While Punjab's outside chance of reaching the top-four has already been blown away by Sunrisers Hyderabad who beat Rajasthan Royals on Friday to register their ninth win, Mumbai would want to finish with a win to consolidate...
04:55 PM, May 17, 2013
