Ponting-led MI beat the (Pu)neighbours

Neither MI nor PWI made changes to their playing eleven.

On winning the toss, Ricky Ponting, MI’s skipper, chose to bat.

The first Powerplay of MI’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 48, without the loss of a wicket.

MI’s openers scored 50 off 6.3 overs (39 balls). PWI had conceded an extra at that point. While Ponting’s contribution to the partnership was 13, Sachin Tendulkar’s contribution to it was 36. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Ponting, whose 17-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 14. Forty-three balls into the match, he was caught by Abhishek Nayar. Yuvraj Singh broke the 54-run partnership.

Tendulkar, whose 29-ball innings included seven boundaries and a six, eventually scored 44. Seven balls later, he was caught by Mitchell Marsh. Aaron Finch broke the six-run stand.

MI scored 100 off 13.3 overs (81 balls). PWI had conceded an extra at that point.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 36 balls. While Dinesh Karthik’s contribution to the partnership was 37, the contribution of Rohit, the player of the (Shar)match, to it was 13. Extras didn’t contribute to the partnership.

Dinesh, whose 29-ball innings included four boundaries and a six, eventually scored 41. Forty-two balls after Tendulkar’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Marsh, who broke the 55-run partnership.

MI scored 150 off 17.5 overs (108 balls). PWI had conceded three extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 23 balls. While Rohit’s contribution to the partnership was 33, Pollard’s contribution to it was 16. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a couple.

Rohit’s half-century – which included three boundaries and four sixes – came off 30 balls.

He eventually scored 62 off 32 balls, which included the aforementioned number of boundaries, in addition to five sixes. He was unbeaten, as was Kieron Pollard, who scored 19. His 14-ball innings included a boundary and a six.

MI scored 183 for the loss of three wickets off 20 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who bowled two overs, conceded 16. He was wicketless, as were Ashok Dinda, Angelo Mathews (PWI’s skipper), and Rahul Sharma, who bowled four overs apiece. They conceded 63, 29, and 27, respectively.

Marsh, Yuvraj and Finch bowled two overs each, picking up a scalp apiece. They conceded 24, 13, and 11, respectively.

The first Powerplay of PWI’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 40, and lost four wickets.

PWI’s openers didn’t get off the mark. Finch, who faced a ball, didn’t open his account. A ball into the chase, he was dismissed by Mitchell Johnson.

The second-wicket pair put on five. Ross Taylor, who faced five balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. (Oj)Half-a-dozen balls later, Ambati Rayudu and Pragyan ran him out.

Although his nine-ball (Rob)innings included a boundary, Uthappa had no reason to be in seventh heaven – eight balls later, Johnson broke the run-a-ball stand.

Tirumalasetti Suman, whose 15-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 23. Seventeen balls later, he was caught by Pollard. Harbhajan Singh broke the 25-run stand.

PWI scored 50 off 7.4 overs (46 balls). MI had conceded four extras at that point.

Yuvraj, who bowled 16-ball innings included a boundary and a couple of sixes, scored 24. Twenty-six balls after Suman’s dismissal, he was caught by Rishi Dhawan. Pollard broke the 33-run stand.

Mathews, whose 18-ball innings included a six, scored 19. Sixteen balls later, he was caught by Rohit. Pragyan broke the 18-run stand.

PWI scored 100 off 13.2 overs (80 balls). MI had conceded five extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

Nayar had no reason to be in seventh heaven – he scored half-a-dozen. Nineteen balls after Mathews’ dismissal, he was caught by Pollard. Malinga broke the (Lasi)thirty-one-run stand.

Marsh, whose 26-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and as many sixes, scored 38. Seven balls later, he was caught by Rishi. Needless to say, Johnson was in seventh heaven.

Bhuvneshwar, who faced 11 balls, scored half-a-dozen. He was unbeaten.

Rahul Sharma, whose 12-ball innings included a boundary, was unbea‘ten’.

PWI, who scored 142 for the loss of eight wickets off 20 overs, lost by 41 runs.

Rishi, who bowled four wicketless overs, conceded 27.

Pragyan, who bowled a couple of overs, conceded 20. He picked up a wicket.

Harbhajan and Pollard bowled three overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 20, the latter conceded 19.

Malinga, who bowled four overs, conceded 22. He picked up a wicket.

Johnson, who bowled four overs, conceded 33. He picked up three scalps.