Match abandoned Mumbai Indians 176 for 5 (Pollard 58, Kanwar 45) v Cape Cobras
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
The Report by Siddarth Ravindran
September 30, 2011
Two men at different ends of the Twenty20 spectrum powered Mumbai Indians to their best batting performance in the tournament after which heavy rain wiped out the match. One of the biggest names in the format, Kieron Pollard, and a debutant, Sarul Kanwar, went on a six-hitting spree as Mumbai put up a strong 176 against Cape Cobras.
Aiden Blizzard was expected to be the fire starter at the top of the order for Mumbai, instead it was the little known Kanwar who provided the pyrotechnics. Kanwar, a 23-year-old Punjab opener with only one season of domestic cricket behind him, showed no fear in his first big game, clouting the Cobras fast bowlers.
The first shot to make people sit up was a clean swing that sent Charl Langeveldt over the midwicket boundary in the second over. Langeveldt was taken for a four and a six square on the leg side in his next over, and JP Duminy disappeared for 17 in the fifth, before Kanwar showed he can hit straight as well by thumping Vernon Philander over long-off. After five sixes and three fours, he nearly got to his half-century with a stylish hit over deep extra cover but the shot lacked a few yards and was caught.
Kanwar's effort solved Mumbai's headache at the top of the order, and they will also be pleased with the return to form of one of their middle-order stars, Pollard. With Blizzard and Ambati Rayudu falling soon after Kanwar, Mumbai were in danger of losing their way before Pollard intervened. He warmed up with two monstrous straight sixes off JP Duminy, before backing it up with a couple of fours behind square leg. James Franklin joined in by launching Robin Peterson for two more sixes. By the time Pollard completed Langeveldt's horror day by scoring 18 in the 16th over, Mumbai had surged to 143 for 3.
Cobras managed to pull it back a bit in the final overs, with Justin Kemp giving away only two runs in the 17th, but some more boundaries from Andrew Symonds pushed Mumbai to 176. Even as the Mumbai innings wound to an end, the rains arrived and stayed for several hours, forcing the team to split points.
Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: Siddarth Ravindran © ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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