Mumbai require 163 to reach IPL final

Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Rising Pune Supergiant rode on fine half-centuries from Manoj Tiwary and Ajinkya Rahane to post 162/4 against Mumbai Indians in the first qualifier of the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium here on Tuesday.

Tiwary showed his class when the situation demanded, smashing a 48-ball 58, but more importantly putting on two important half-century stands to help the visitors recover from a precarious 9/2 after the second over.

The Bengal right-hander first added 80 runs for the third wicket with Rahane, who scored a 43-ball 56 before stitching an undefeated 73-run fourth wicket stand with former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (40 off 26) to take the side to a healthy total.

Put in to bat, Pune were off to an unforgettable start losing the in-form Rahul Tripathi (0) and Steve Smith (1) in the opening two overs before Rahane and Manoj steadied the ship on a tricky Wankhede track.

New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan drew first blood for the hosts, cleaning up Tripathi for his first duck of the IPL, on the last ball of the opening over before a leading edge off Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga got skipper Smith walking back.

With the visitors in desperate need of a partnership, Rahane and Manoj got their act together helping the odd ball to the boundary as Mumbai maintained a perfect line and length, without allowing any freebies.

The right-handed pair went on to add 50 runs off 44 deliveries with Manoj playing the perfect second fiddle to the local boy Rahane, who got to his half-century off 39 balls.

Just when things began to fall in order for Pune, leg-spinner Karn Sharma jolted the visitors, by trapping Rahane, who by now had helped the ball to the boundary on five occasions and once over it.

The fall of Rahane brought in Dhoni who, along with Manoj, played out five overs inconsequentially before the Bengal batsman took the attack to the opposition.

Continuing his fine run with the willow, Manoj first slogged at a good length ball off McCleneghan to get to his half-century off 45 deliveries before taking the bowler to the cleaners. Dhoni too joined the party, clearing the Kiwi twice in the penultimate over.

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma threw the ball to his death-over specialist Jasprit Bumrah for the final over, but with Dhoni at his attacking best, young Bumrah was clobbered twice out of the park as the final two overs yielded 41 runs for Pune.

Brief Scores: Rising Pune Supergiant 162/4 (Manoj Tiwary 58, Ajinkya Rahane 56, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 40 not out, Lasith Malinga 1/14) vs Mumbai Indians.