A brilliant batting performance from Michael Hussey propelled the Mumbai Indians to a rare win on Monday night while also keeping the team’s slim IPL finals hopes alive.
Hussey outdid fellow Aussie Shane Watson and his Rajasthan Royals by scoring 56 in Mumbai’s 25-run win to pull off the upset victory and severely damage the Royals’ hunt for top spot on the IPL ladder with the season rapidly winding down.
Hussey and West Indian Lendl Simmons made the Royals pay for resting key players Ajinkya Rahane, Steven Smith and Pravin Tambe in what was expected to be an easy win. The duo combined for a 120-run partnership with Hussey smashing his total off 39 deliveries, including three boundaries and two sixes.
The pair got off to a slow start, managing just 21 from the opening four overs before going to town on Aussie James Faulkner in the fifth. The 38-year-old veteran eventually fell in the 15th over attempting to slog at a full bowl from Ankit Sharma drifting wide at outside off only to knock it to Kevon Cooper at long on.
Shane Watson failed to ignite Rajasthan’s attack as he posted just five runs from six balls before being caught trying to smash a short delivery from Pragyan Ojha. Fellow Aussies Brad Hodge (40 from 30) and James Faulkner (not out, 31 to 21) helped carry the slack at the tail end before ultimately falling 25 short of the Mumbai total.
“It was good fun out there,” Man of the Match Hussey said of his opening partnership. “I was enjoying the opening partnership with Lendl, he’s a good player and a great striker of the ball. We were saying no twos, we just wanted to hit four, a single or a six. Unfortunately we got out in the same over but that total was a very good one on that pitch. Hopefully we can have more wins.”
Hussey and the Indians have three must-win games remaining in the IPL season- they take on the Kings XI on Wednesday night before matches against the Daredevils on the 23rd and a final rematch against Kings XI on the 25th.
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Photo: William West/AFP/Getty Images
