Miserable start for Pollard in IPL

CHENNAI, India (CMC):

West Indies white-ball captain, Kieron Pollard, made an unflattering start to his 2021 Indian Premier League campaign as his Mumbai Indians went down to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by two wickets in the season.

Defending a modest 159 for nine at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the title-holders lost off the last ball of the contest when Harshal Patel scampered a single to fine leg off 20-year-old South African left-arm seamer, Marco Jansen, with one run required for victory.

Sent in, Mumbai got a sound start when Australian Chris Lynn top-scored with 49 to inspire a 70-run second wicket stand with Suryakumar Yadav (31), after captain Rohit Sharma was run out for 19 in the fourth over.

Lynn struck four fours and three sixes off 35 deliveries while Suryakumar belted four fours and a six in a 23-ball knock, as Mumbai reached 86 without further loss at the half-way stage.

However, once both batsmen perished in the space of 12 deliveries, only wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan with 28 off 19 balls, showed any resistance as eight wickets went down for 65 runs off the last 55 deliveries of the innings.

Pollard, entering at number six faced nine balls for his seven before picking out deep square in the final over with medium pacer Harshal Patel who finished with excellent figures of five for 27.

In reply, South African batting star AB de Villiers top-scored with 48 off 27 deliveries while Australian Glen Maxwell struck 39 off 28 deliveries and captain Virat Kohli got a patient 33 from 29 balls to carry the run chase.

Kohli put on 36 for the first wicket with Washington Sundar (10) and added a further 52 for the third wicket with Maxwell before departing in the 13th over at 98 for three.

When four wickets went down for just 24 runs to leave RCB in trouble at 122 for six in the 17th over, de Villiers stepped up to blast four fours and a brace of sixes and propel a 30-run, seventh wicket stand off just 14 balls with Kyle Jamieson (4) to rescue the innings.