Hardik late onslaught takes MI to 184/8

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir produced a sensational three-wicket burst in the space of 10 balls but Hardik Pandya's late heroics took Mumbai Indians to 184 for 8 in their IPL match against Rising Pune Supergiant here today.
South African Tahir (3/28), who was unsold in the IPL auction and drafted in the Pune team as a late replacement, triggered a top-order collapse to put brakes on Mumbai's rollicking start after they were put into bat.
Mumbai did not have any substantial partnership after the opening wicket stand of 45 between Parthiv Patel (19) and Jos Butler (38) before Pandya's late flourish took them to a good total. Pandya remained not out at 35 from 15 balls (1x4; 4x6) as Mumbai added 64 runs in the last five overs.

Tahir cleaned up Patel in his second ball of the match, giving Pune the first breakthrough after Mumbai had knocked off 41 runs in the first four overs. He dealt a body blow to Mumbai in his next over by sending back captain Rohit Sharma (3 off 7 balls) who tried to work Tahir's delivery to the leg side without any foot movement only to lose his stumps.
Just two balls later, Tahir dismissed opener Butler, who was going great guns, in an LBW decision to rock the Mumbai innings. Butler, who hit three sixes and as many fours in his 19-ball knock, was a bit unlucky as it appeared that the ball got an inside edge of his bat.

Butler had hit his England team-mate and this season's costliest buy Ben Stokes (1/36) for two consecutive sixes to set the tempo of the match.

Rajat Bhatia (2/14) had Ambati Rayudu caught and bowled for 10 before Mumbai reached 100-run mark in 13th over. Bhatia then cut short Krunal Pandya's (3) stay at the crease to just five balls to reduce Mumbai to 107 for five in the 14th over.
Delhi lad Nitish Rana tried to steady the Mumbai innings with a 28-ball 34 but he was also out in 16th over, leaving West Indian Kieron Pollard to take the responsibility.

Pollard got limited success as he was dismissed for 27 (17 balls; 3x4; 1x6) in the penultimate over by Stokes for his first IPL wicket. Hardik Pandya then stunned the home crowd as Mumbai scored 30 runs from the final over as he scored four sixes and a boundary.