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Eleven runs stood between Pune and the IPL trophy, and they had six balls to get there. Pune skipper Steve Smith was at the crease and Mumbai was likely to end on the losing side of the 2017 IPL final.
Three balls into the over though, Mitchell Johnson had sent two batsmen packing, and soon enough, Rohit Sharma was seen running – across the stadium – for a big victory lap.
Mumbai Indians successfully defended 129 to win the 2017 IPL and become the first team to win the title thrice. The 1-run victory also making the history books for being the narrowest margin of victory in the 10 seasons so far.
But how did Mumbai go from winning the toss and electing to bat first, to 79/7 and then onto the winners’ podium? Here are 5 key moments from the IPL final:
1. Unadkat’s Opening Spell
Two of Pune’s most impressive bowlers were handed the ball to start the innings – Jaydev Unadkat from one end and Washington Sundar from the other.
Parthiv Patel and Lendl Simmons made 7 in the first 12 deliveries before Unadkat gifted himself an over worthy of an IPL final. The left-arm medium pacer packed off both the openers in the third over – first Parthiv (4) was sent off in the first delivery and then Simmons (3), on the fourth.
Parthiv’s pull shot was caught at mid-on by Shardul Thakur but it was Simmons’ wicket that had the stadium on their feet. A caught and bowled by the bowler himself, after he went diving to his left and pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch.
Mumbai were 8/2 within three overs and in deep trouble.
2. Pandya’s 47
With the biggies of the team falling by the wayside, it was yet again a Pandya that held fort for Mumbai Indians. Elder sibling Krunal entered the mix in Mumbai’s eighth over after Ambati Rayudu was run out on a 15-ball-12. The team’s score was 41/3.
He first stitched together a 15-run partnership with Rohit Sharma, a 9-run stand with Kieron Pollard, added 13 runs with brother Hardik and 1 run with Karn Sharma before finally finding some stability in Mitchell Johnson at the other end.
Mumbai were 79/7 in 14.1 overs when Johnson joined Pandya and the two added 50 runs to get Mumbai to a defendable target (in hindsight).
While Mumbai’s entire 20-over innings saw 54 dot balls (9 maiden overs), Pandya smashed himself 47 off 38 that included three fours and two sixes.
The team set Pune a 130-run target to win the IPL title.
3. Smith & Rahane’s Shoddy Pace
Rising Pune Supergiant skipper Steve Smith was the team’s highest-scorer with 51 runs to his name. 51 off 50 deliveries. A strike rate of 102 that certainly hurt the team’s chances. Specially considering Smith batted in the Powerplay as well.
With just 130 to score, Smith and Rahane approached the chase in a manner that ended up being detrimental to the result. Going for a “slow and steady” approach to the chase, Pune posted just 38 runs in the Powerplay, possibly one of the lowest scores in the first six overs this season.
A total of 54 runs were made by Smith and Rahane in the 9.3 overs they batted together.
4. Dhoni Pushed Up The Order
A 130 to win an IPL final, that too by a team comprising MS Dhoni and Steve Smith. Easy, you’d think. Well, so did the team.
At the end of three overs though, they were 21/1 with Rahul Tripathi back in the hut. And when Ajinkya Rahane fell in the 12th over, Pune needed 59 off 49 balls.
In walked MS Dhoni, ahead of Manoj Tiwary. Encore 2011 World Cup final?
This though, wasn't to be Dhoni’s night. He struggled to keep the scorecard going, despite having Smith for company. The first boundary in his almost five-over stint came three overs after he got to the crease.
Dhoni ended up facing all of 10 deliveries before he was caught off Bumrah. The ball was going slightly outside off-stump and Dhoni tried to slash it. It picked a top edge before reaching wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel’s gloves.
Dhoni out on an uncharacteristically slow 13, off 10. With this, Pune went from 59 needed off 49 when he walked in, to 32 off 21.
The pressure was on the batsmen to come.
5. Bumrah, Johnson’s “Home Run”
While the Pune batsmen can be blamed for their approach to the chase, Mumbai’s pace bowlers ensured no batsman stuck around long enough to give Steve Smith support from the other end.
Lasith Malinga (0/21), Jasprit Bumrah (2/26) and Mitchell Johnson (3/26) bowled the 18th, 19th and 20th overs and maintained the pressure on the batsmen throughout.
Malinga conceded five runs in the 18th over and Bumrah gave away 12 in the 19th.
The trophy though was to be decided over Johnson’s six deliveries. 11 were needed off the last over:
- Manoj Tiwary started with a boundary at mid-wicket. 7 were then needed off 5
- Tiwary attempted to delivery the next one into the stands and was caught at long on by Pollard.
- Steve Smith was next to go, caught in the deep by Ambati Rayudu
- Washington Sundar ran a quick one off a leg-bye
- Dan Christian was then dropped by Hardik Pandya at deep-midwicket. Two runs.
- A boundary to win the match or three to take it to a super over. Dan Christian’s shot was stopped before the boundary but Suchith fumbled before throwing it back to the keeper. There was no third run. Run-out instead.
Mumbai Indians won the 2017 IPL by 1 run.
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