Pune post challenging 160/6 vs Mumbai in IPL

Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) posted 160/6 against Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League encounter at the Wankhede Stadium here on Monday.

Openers Ajinkya Rahane (38) and Rahul Tripathi (45) were the major contributors for Pune's cause.

Both openers started off on a good note, slamming more than 70 runs in 10 overs. Rahane and Tripathi forged a 76-run partnership with a healthy 8.00 run rate.

But just when things seemed going good for the visitors, leg-spinner Karn Sharma provided a much needed breakthrough for the Mumbia Indians in form of Rahane's wicket.

Karn delivered a top-spin and Rahane got cramped while trying to play a cut shot and as a result, the bowler took a fantastic catch to make Pune 76/1.

Rahane played 32 balls and slammed five fours and a six.

Incoming batsman Steve Smith (17) then joined Tripathi and added 17 runs for the second wicket, but Tripathi was sent packing in the 12th over by Karn. His 31-ball knock was laced with three boundaries and two sixes.

Skipper Smith was also back to the pavilion in the next over thanks to veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, which reduced Pune to 104/3. Smith played 12 balls and hit two boundaries.

Middle-order batsmen Mahendra Singh Dhoni (7) and Ben Stokes (17) then added 22 runs in 3.1 overs before the England batsman was dismissed by pacer Mitchell Johnson in the 17th over.

Dhoni, who played a match winning knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the last match, failed to click this time. While trying a big one, the Ranchi stumper missed the ball completely and got bowled by pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

With scoreboard reading 138/5 in 18 overs, Manjot Tiwary (22) and Daniel Christian (8) shifted the gears. The Bengal batsman took back to back fours in the last over before he was adjudged leg before wicket in the fourth ball of the final over.

The fall of Tiwary's wicket brought in Washington Sundar (2), who along with Christian completed the proceedings and helped the team to get a challenging 160/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

For Mumbai, Karn and Bumrah scalped two wickets each while Johnson and Harbhajan chipped in with one wicket each.

--IANS

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