IPL6: Mumbai beat Rajasthan by 14 runs

Mumbai Indians maintained their unbeaten record and surged to the top of the IPL standings after pulling off a 14-run win against Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday night.

Chasing a target of 167, Rajasthan had lost half their side by the 10th over with just 58 on the board and slumped to 88-6.

Binny and Hodge (39) kept them in the hunt with a fighting partnership of 56 for the seventh wicket.

But they were choked by some tight bowling from Johnson and Malinga in the final overs as the boundaries dried up.

Binny remained unbeaten on 37 off 29 balls with three boundaries and a six while Hodge cracked seven boundaries in his knock.

Johnson claimed two for 23 and Kulkarni two for 21.

Earlier, a sparkling half century by Aditya Tare (59) lifted Mumbai Indians to 166-8 after being put into bat.

Maxwell (23) gave them a flying start smashing three sixes.

Dinesh Karthik (21) figured in a 76-run second wicket stand with Tare who cracked eight boundaries and a six in his 37-ball 59.

However, Mumbai's innings failed to gather momentum after Tare's dismissal in the 13th over.

In fact they lost five wickets for the addition of just 35 runs in the last five overs following the dismissal of Sharma.

Faulkner claimed two for 32 and Watson two for 30.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS INNINGS

Cooper hits a six off Malinga who gives away just eight runs as Mumbai win by 14 runs as Rajasthan finish on 152-7.

Malinga traps Hodge leg before with a yorker. RR 144-7.

B Hodge lbw b Malinga 39 (27b 7x4 0x6)

Kulkarni bowls a good 19th over conceding just one boundary. RR 144-6.

Malinga bowls a superb 18th over giving away just five runs. RR 134-6.

Hodge gets a streaky boundary off Johnson in the 17th. RR 129-6.

A big over for Rajasthan as Hodge gets four boundaries off Ojha with a little bit of luck. RR 122-6 in 16 overs.

Harbhajan strikes in his final over as Yagnik is bowled after swinging and missing. RR 88-6.

D Yagnik b Harbhajan Singh 10 (14b 1x4 0x6)

Binny smashes a six and boundary off Ojha attacking the spinners following a reverse hit to third man in the previous over from Harbhajan. RR 82-5 in 12 overs.

Ojha strikes with his first delivery as Watson is caught in the deep by Pollard. RR 58-5.

S Watson c Pollard b Ojha 19 (16b 0x4 2x6)

Watson launches a counter attack beginning with a flat six over midwicket and another over fine leg in the last two balls of Malinga's first over. RR 47-4 in 8 overs.

Rajasthan are in trouble as Rahane goes for a big hit and is pouched by Malinga as Kulkarni gets his second wicket. RR 28-4.

A Rahane c Malinga b Kulkarni 4 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Johnson strikes for the second time in his third over as Samson miscues a pull to Ojha. RR 26-3.

S Samson c Ojha b Johnson 4 (4b 1x4 0x6)

Samson opens his account with a boundary to third man off Johnson.

Kulkarni strikes as Faulkner slices with Maxwell taking a superb catch running back. RR 22-2.

J Faulkner c Maxwell b Kulkarni 12 (13b 2x4 0x6)

Faulkner edges a boundary off Kulkarni to third man.

Johnson strikes in his fifth delivery as Dravid is adjudged caught behind off a bouncer though replays showed he had not got a touch. RR 5-1.

R Dravid c Karthik b Johnson 4 (5b 1x4 0x6)

Dravid hits the first boundary of the Rajasthan innings flicking Johnson to fine leg.

MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS

Malinga is run out off the final delivery as Mumbai finish on 166-8.

L Malinga run out 1 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Faulkner picks up a second wicket as Johnson hits straight to Hodge. MI 164-7.

M Johnson c Hodge b Faulkner 2 (7b 0x4 0x6)

Harbhajan cracks a boundary off the first ball he faced from Watson and smashes Cooper for a six. MI 162-6 in 19 overs.

Watson strikes again as Rayudu holes out to Samson who takes a good catch on the boundary. MI 151-6.

A Rayudu c Samson b Watson 7 (7b 0x4 0x6)

Another blow for Mumbai as Pollard is run out off a direct hit from Cooper. MI 144-5.

K Pollard run out 17 (14b 1x4 1x6)

Faulkner strikes as Watson takes a well judged catch to dismiss Sharma. MI 138-4.

R Sharma c Watson b Faulkner 14 (9b 2x4 0x6)

Tare's wonderful knock comes to an end chipping to Watson. MI 108-3.

A Tare c Watson b Cooper 59 (37b 8x4 1x6)

Tambe strikes as Karthik smashes straight to Samson at midwicket. MI 101-2.

D Karthik c Samson b Tambe 21 (21b 3x4 0x6)

Tare is on fire though living dangerously getting a life from Dravid, smashing a couple of boundaries off Binny. MI 60-1 in 7 overs.

Tare hits consecutive boundaries off Chavan and a six off Watson as Mumbai reach 49-1 at the end of the Powerplay overs.

Watson strikes trapping Maxwell leg before with an in dipper. MI 25-1.

G Maxwell lbw b Watson 23 (17b 0x4 3x6)

Maxwell is on fire smashing a couple of sixes off Chavan in the third over.

Maxwell blasts Faulkner over long-on for the first six.

Glenn Maxwell opens with Aditya Tare for Mumbai while Ankeet Chavan has been handed the new ball by Dravid.

Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and put Mumbai Indians into bat in Match 66 of IPL6 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday night.

Tendulkar misses out because of a tendon problem while Smith has also been rested.

PLAYING XI

MI: D Karthik, A Tare, R Sharma, G Maxwell, K Pollard, A Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, M  Johnson, D Kulkarni, L Malinga, P Ojha
   
RR: R Dravid, A Rahane, S Watson, S  Samson, S Binny, B Hodge, D Yagnik, K Cooper, J Faulkner, A Chavan, P Tambe

MI will be eager to avenge their humiliating 87-run defeat at the hands of the RR at Jaipur.