Pollard flops as Bravo’s CSK win thriller

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Kieron Pollard’s first outing since quitting international cricket ended in heartbreak here yesterday, as his Mumbai Indians extended their dreadful winless run in the Indian Premier League with a last-ball defeat to Dwayne Bravo’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

With four runs required off the final delivery at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Indian superstar MS Dhoni (28 not out) whipped a low full toss from left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat to the ropes behind square, as CSK overhauled a target of 156.

A positive result looked within Mumbai’s reach with CSK needing 17 from the final over, and when Dwaine Pretorius perished for 22 off the first delivery, the odds were even greater in their favour.

New batsman Bravo picked off a single to midwicket before Dhoni thumped the third delivery for a straight six, hooked to fine leg for four and darted a couple to deep midwicket, to set up the grand finish.

Pollard, who called time on his West Indies career on Wednesday, had earlier failed yet again with 14 as Mumbai mustered only 155 for seven off their 20 overs after being sent in.

They were slumping at 23 for three in the third over before Tilak Varma struck a responsible unbeaten 51 off 43 deliveries, adding 24 for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar Yadav (32), a further 38 for the fifth wicket with Hrithik Shokeen (25) and a crucial 35 in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand with Unadkat (19 not out).

Pollard, arriving at number seven, faced nine balls and struck a four and a six before finding the fielder at long on in the 17th over from off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana.

Left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary finished with three for 19 after being handed the new ball while Bravo claimed two for 36 from his four overs.

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CSK also found themselves in trouble early, tottering on 16 for two in the third over but Ambati Rayudu (40) and Robin Uthappa (30) halted the slide in a 50-run third-wicket partnership.

A clatter of wickets left CSK stumbling on 106 for six in the 16th over before Dhoni combined with Pretorius in a 33-run, seventh-wicket stand to successfully revive the run chase.

The defeat for Mumbai was their seventh on the trot, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the ten-team table while the win for CSK was their second, moving them four points clear of Mumbai at second from bottom.