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Mumbai v Chennai, IPL 2012, Mumbai

Dwayne Smith stuns Chennai in last-over heist

Posted By Anoop Dubey

May 7,2012

Mumbai Indians 174 for 8 (Tendulkar 74, Rohit 60, Smith 24*) beat Chennai Super Kings 173 for 8 (Vijay 41, Bravo 40, Malinga 3-25) by two wickets

In perhaps the most thrilling last-ball finish in this season, Dwayne Smith, playing his first game for Mumbai Indians this year, smashed three boundaries off the final three deliveries to avert what seemed a certain choke from the hosts at Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai Indians were in control for a sizeable chunk of the chase, courtesy a century stand between Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, before the middle order imploded. When the situation was at its most dire, Smith hit the straight boundary three times.

Mumbai Indians needed 16 off the final over with three wickets in hand. Ben Hilfenhaus conceded a single off the first ball, yorked Lasith Malinga with the second, and a single off the third left the hosts needing 14 off the last three deliveries. Smith kept the game alive by muscling a six off the fourth ball several rows over long-on. The equation was eight off two balls and Hilfenhaus failed to land both in the blockhole. A low full toss was bashed over the bowler's head, giving long-off and long-on no chance. Hilfenhaus managed to pitch the final ball, but not at the desired length. Smith smashed it to long-off and before he knew it he was being mobbed by deliriously happy team-mates.

The game was Mumbai Indians' to lose after the hard work from Tendulkar and Rohit. Following Tendulkar's dismissal, they needed only 40 off 25 balls with eight wickets in hand. Dinesh Karthik forced two boundaries through the off side to tilt the balance further in their favour, but got a little too cheeky immediately after, walking across his stumps to Dwayne Bravo and getting bowled.

MS Dhoni then sprung a surprise, bringing in the normally under-utilised Ravindra Jadeja. Ambati Rayudu slogged and missed; the well-set Rohit made too much room and he too was bowled. Jadeja picked up two wickets in a two-run over and Super Kings were in a position where the game was theirs to lose.

The following over by Bravo had a tight wide call, which gave Mumbai Indians a crucial extra delivery in the final analysis. Robin Peterson then took off for a quick single towards mid-off, but Faf du Plessis showed his brilliance for the second time in the evening with a direct hit with just a stump to aim at. Another six from Smith, hit with tremendous bat speed - and Harbhajan Singh's slog down long-on's throat added further twists. Smith, however, had the final, emphatic say.

It should not have got this close. Tendulkar lost his opening partner James Franklin cheaply, but the early wicket was good for Mumbai Indians as it brought in Rohit early. The pair kept the chase on course with a stand of 126. Tendulkar targeted Albie Morkel as the weak link in the attack, ransacking 33 off 17 balls. With the mid-off in the circle in the 11th over, Tendulkar made room but failed to put away the first two balls. He scooped the third over extra cover, walked across the crease to launch the fourth over fine leg for six, before spanking the sixth over cover to bring up his fifty.