Yusuf Pathan Ipl

Yusuf Pathan played an innings that deserved him to be on the winning side but it was death bowling at its best by Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga who held there nerve and took Mumbai to victory by 4 runs.

In an innings of 212 many would have thought it would have been a special innings by Tendulkar & Jayasuriya but to the disappointment of the Mumbai fans they provided a solid platform with Tare as they put on 70 in the first 6 overs. The Mumbai innings was built around Rayudu and Tiwary who both scored half centuries in a partnership of 110 in 63 balls. There was some mind games from Warne who kept Tait back but when he came on to bowl Tendulkar dispatched him to score 10 runs of 4 balls from him. It was an all around bad day for Warne who conceded 29 runs in his 3 overs and his decision making cost Rajasthan as the Mumbai batsmen scored easy runs as they piled on 212.

After 12 overs Mumbai were 121/3 and looked good to score 200+ when it was coming to the vital stages in the innings Warne decided to bowl Pathan and Jhunjhunwala and it really hurt Rajasthan as the provided easy scoring opportunities where Kamran Khan had only bowled one over Tait bowled out with an economy of 11.50. Harbhajan and McLaren added some vital runs at the end of the innings which would end up being match winning and they also continued Tait's bad day as he conceded 22 in the last two overs and 46 in his 4 overs.

Chasing 213 to win there was only one way for Rajasthan to approach the chase and that was gun-ho and at one stage it seemed predictable that it was going to be a Mumbai win as Rajasthan were reduced to 66/4 in 10 overs. But the stage was set for Yusuf Pathan when Rajasthan required 143 of 57 balls, and he scored his 50 in 21 balls and his second fifty to bring up his hundred in 17 balls which included 9 boundaries and 8 sixes. It was a quite brutal innings from Pathan that at one stage look to take the game away from Mumbai and anyone watching even Tendulkar would not begrudge him the limelight.

As the game was coming to its end Yusuf was run out by ex ICL player Sathish and leaving Rajasthan requiring 40 from 17 balls. If Rajasthan were going to win Dogra who had witnessed the innings by Yusuf had to be there till the end and he was run out, the third of the innings in the last over. It was all about who wanted it the most and it was Mumbai who can be grateful to Zaheer and Malinga who bowled quite brilliantly which included 11 yorkers in 12 legal deliveries and it was beyond Rajasthan who required a 6 off the last ball and neither Warne of Mascarenhas was capable taking Rajasthan to a stunning win.

After yesterdays poor opening this was the type of match that the IPL required to kick the third season off.

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