Incredible last over slog gives Mumbai Indians victory over KKR

Kolkata: An incredible last over slog that fetched 23 runs,including a mighty six off the ultimate delivery, propelled Mumbai Indians to a five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders and a third place finish in the points table of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Sunday.

Scorecard

The Knights finished fourth and the two sides will again meet in the second play-off in Mumbai. Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings will clash in the first play-off, having taken the first two positions in the table.

Needing 21 off the last over, the Mumbai Indians were on a roll as James Franklin (45 not out of 23 balls, 5x4, 1x6) clobbered a hapless Laxmipathy Balaji for four consecutive boundaries - three of them edges - and then took a single.

A four was required off the final ball, but the experienced Ambati Rayudu (17 not out off six balls, 2x6) hoisted a full toss to the square-leg stands to seal the match with a six - a la Javed Miandad in the Austral-Asia Cup 25 years ago. The bowler at the receiving end in 1986 was India's Chetan Sharma.

In the end, Mumbai Indians finished at 178/5 in reply to the 175/7 amassed by the Knights. Sachin Tendulkar (38) and Harbajan Singh (30) were the other principal scorers for the winners.

The Knights seemed in control of the proceedings till the end of the 15th over. The Mumbai Indians were then 110/4, with 66 needed off five overs, and the asking rate having mounted to over 13.

But things changed fast, as Franklin - later adjudged Man of the Match having picked up two wickets also - and Kieron Pollard (18 off 22 balls) picked up the gauntlet. After Balaji saw the back of Pollard, Franklin and Rayudu plundered 41 runs off 15 balls to turn the script upside down.

Among the KKR bowlers, Rajat Bhatia got three wickets.

Earlier, put in to bat, the Knights were well served by Jacques Kallis, who top-scored with 59 off 42 balls. The South African was the common factor in the two partnerships - 45 for the third wicket with Manoj Tiwary and 57 for the fourth with Yusuf Paathan - that built the innings. Pathan cracked 36 off 27 balls and Manoj Tiwary 35 off 22.

For Mumbai Indians, Abu Nechim and James Franklin picked up two wickets each.