Sams defends nine in final over as MI stun GT

He mixed wide yorkers, slower deliveries and hard length balls in his masterclass of death bowling. BCCI

Mumbai Indians survived IPL 2022 by a whisker after a five-run triumph over table-topping Gujarat Titans.

Sams defends nine in final over as MI stun GT

Amazing death bowling

Daniel Sams, with only 9 runs to defend in the penultimate over, mixed wide yorkers, slower balls and hard length balls to dismiss David Miller and Rahul Tewatia. After the first two balls failed to produce a boundary, he was run out in the third. Miller had two chances to win with a six, but Sams hit both out of bounds. Was it always a challenge?

In fact, Gujarat led for three-quarters of the race. The run out of Hardik Pandya (24 off 11), who like Tewatia was caught short without diving, gave MI a foot in the door and enabling them to complete a dramatic turnaround after Gujarat’s blistering start.

What happened first?

Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill put on 106 runs in 12.1 overs to set the tone. Earlier in the powerplay, he scored 37 runs off the first six overs, and reached fifty in 34 balls. Against Jasprit Bumrah, Saha embodied Gujarat by striking above his weight. He smashed three fours and two sixes off Bumrah in two overs, picking up three fours and two sixes.

How did MI get it back?

In the 13th over, Murugan Ashwin had both Gill and Saha caught in the deep. Gujarat were in trouble when Sai Sudharsan hit his stumps with the bat, requiring 10-an-over in the last four overs before the final collapse. It reminded MI of earlier in the day.

Why was it like MI’s?

Mumbai scored 80 runs in the last ten overs to reach 177. Despite Tim David’s best efforts, they finished with a score that looked much below-par on a flat ground with dew.

Tim David did what?

He smashed four sixes in a 21-ball 44 after replacing Kieron Pollard, who had battled to 4 off 14 balls. Mumbai had 111 after 12 overs when Pollard came in, but Lockie Ferguson’s pace held him back until Rashid Khan cleaned him out with a leg break. Rashid also kept Tilak Varma (21 off 16) quiet, finishing with 2 for 24 in 4 overs. David had to bolster the innings at the other end, which he did with clean lofts down the ground against the pacers.

Let’s begin.

Mumbai got off to a great start after being put in to bat. Rohit Sharma smashed 42 of MI’s 63 runs in the powerplay, a decent batting pitch. Rohit had no trouble with Alzarri Joseph, who he smashed for four fours and a six in two overs.

In between, he snagged Mohammed Shami for a six. His partner, Ishan Kishan, was steady at first, but saw a few inside edges go to the boundary. He kept the rate up by picking good targets. Before Rohit collapsed, he missed a reverse sweep against Rashid. A couple of cheap dismissals – Suryakumar Yadav lofting to long on and Ishan being tricked by a slower one – brought MI back into the game. Their bowlers dug them out of that hole and kept them alive.

We beat Gujarat Titans 172/5 (Wriddhiman Saha 55, Shubman Gill 52; M Ashwin 2-29) by 5 runs.

Next?

On Monday (May 9), MI host KKR at DY Patil Stadium, while GT host LSG in Pune on Tuesday (May 10).