Sachin Tendulkar's value to Mumbai Indians' batting is beyond question. The captain set the pace with a blazing 71 off 48 balls (10 fours) to steamroller Kolkata Knight Riders in the DLF IPL 2010.
The home team cruised to a seven-wicket victory, mocking at the visitor's target off 156 by racing across the line in 18.3 overs for the loss of only three wickets.
Shikhar Dhawan and Saurabh Tiwary were his able lieutenants at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday, smashing 23 off 21 balls and 30 off 24 balls respectively, to drive the Knight Riders' attack up the wall. Different strokes came off Tendulkar's blade, an imperious frontfoot drive to long-on, a controlled pull to square leg, a clever placement between cover and mid-off and a smashing hit across the line to mid-wicket. His 50 came off 35 balls and except for one dropped chance by a hasty Murali Kartik on the follow-through, KKR bowlers made no impression.
Dhawan, opening for the first time in place of Sanath Jayasuriya, got down to the business straightaway, picking three fours in Shane Bond's opening over. The left-hander created space at the crease for forcing shots, his best being a shot through point after leaning back to hit a ball pitched on the off-stump. Tendulkar attacked Ishant Sharma, while Tiwary waded into Gayle.
KKR lost the plot at the start. Ganguly, opening the batting after winning the toss, showed the caution usually reserved for the 50-50 version. Gayle was denied opportunities to free arms for huge swings. Both even allowed themselves the luxury of getting their eye in. Owais Shah (31 off 23 balls) showed the way to bat in T20, but by then it was too late.
Zaheer and McLaren cramped batsmen for room right through. Malinga kept firing in around the off-stump and Harbhajan's control over length coming round the wicket kept runs to a trickle. MI pacemen conceded just 34 in the first five overs. Gayle needed time to settle down and the more enterprising Ganguly flicked off his pads for boundaries, using the pace generated by McLaren.
Gayle broke his sober approach at the crease with a swatted six off Bravo, dismissing the ball over mid-wicket with a languid swing. The ninth-over mandatory time-out saw the openers manage 60 runs before a crude sweep off Harbhajan resulted in the first breakthrough. Malinga came on for his final fling in the 14th over. Gayle finally got cracking against Zaheer, kickstarting with a one-handed pull to fine leg, then swung a full toss down the same route, followed by a trademark six over long-on.
The scores :
Kolkata Knight Riders : C. Gayle lbw b Zaheer 75 (60b, 7x4, 2x6), S. Ganguly b Harbhajan 31 (34b, 5x4), O. Shah b Zaheer 31 (23b, 3x4), A. Matthews (not out) 3 (3b); Extras (b-6, lb-3, w-6): 15; Total (for three wkts. in 20 overs): 155.
Fall of wickets : 1-70, 2-152, 3-155.
Mumbai Indians bowling : Malinga4-0-28-0, Zaheer 4-0-27-2, McLaren 4-0-38-0, Bravo 4-0-36-0, Harbhajan 4-0-17-1.
Mumbai Indians : S. Dhawan c Ganguly b Kartik 23 (21b, 4x4), S. Tendulkar (not out) 71 (48b, 10x4), S. Tiwary c Ganguly b Ishant 30 (24b, 3x4, 1x6), K. Pollard lbw b Ishant 7 (7b, 1x4), R. Sathish (not out) 21 (11b, 3x4); Extras (w-4): 4; Total (for three wkts. In 18.3 overs): 156.
Fall of wickets : 1-61, 2-117, 3-129.
Kolkata Knight Riders bowling : Bond 3-0-31-0, Ishant 4-0-44-2, Gayle 4-0-31-0, Kartik 4-0-21-1, Mathews 3.3-0-29-0.
