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Preview: Faced with a must-win situation for a berth in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2016) play-offs, Mumbai Indians will have their task cut out in their last league encounter, when they face Gujarat Lions here on Saturday. Placed at the fifth spot with seven wins from 13 matches, the defending champions are locked on 14 points with Royal Challengers Bangalore (3rd) and Kolkata Knight Riders (4th), only to sit behind due to a low run-rate. On the other hand, having won their previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), second-placed Gujarat Lions will aim to seal their play-off berth with a win. Going into Saturday’s tie at the Green Park Stadium, Mumbai will once again hope for a solid batting performance from the likes of skipper Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Keiron Pollard and Krunal Pandya. [caption id=“attachment_2733082” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File picture of Rohit Sharma. BCCI[/caption] Krunal, who blasted a 37-ball 86 to help Mumbai thrash Delhi Daredevils by 80 runs in their previous outing, will once again hope for a repeat of his swashbuckling form. Pollard and England’s Jos Buttler are also in good nick and Mumbai will expect the duo’s fireworks in the middle order. The bowling department boasts of New Zealander Mitchell McClenaghan, who with 17 wickets in 13 matches, remains the top wicket-taker this edition. He has been supported well by Jasprit Bumrah with 14 scalps. Tim Southee and Hardik Pandya have also been impressive. Meanwhile, after a great outing in their adopted home ground against KKR, the Lions would want to repeat their show to stay in the hunt. The batting will centre around Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum and stumper Dinesh Karthik while skipper Suresh Raina will be aiming to continue from where he left against KKR. Raina’s unbeaten 53 took the game away from Gautam Gambhir’s side by six wickets on Thursday. The middle order boasts of Australian stroke-maker Aaron Finch and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who can tear apart any bowling attack on their day. Gujarat’s bowling has the much-needed variety with chinaman Shivil Kaushik and leg-spinner Pravin Tambe while the pace battery led by Praveen Kumar and Dhawal Kulkarni will surely test the Mumbai batters.
IPL 2016, MI vs GL as it happened: Lions thump Mumbai to roar into the play-offs
Catch the live updates of the IPL 2016 match between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Lions here.
 "IPL 2016, MI vs GL as it happened: Lions thump Mumbai to roar into the play-offs")
If KKR loses to SRH tomorrow, there will be 3 teams with 14 points - MI, KKR and DD/RCB. 1 of those with better NRR will go in. #GLvMI
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 21, 2016
With a negative Net Run Rate Gujarat on top of the IPL points table. Every possible permutation and combination becomes reality in #IPL
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) May 21, 2016
That’s it! Gujarat Lions becomes the first team to cruise into the play-offs of IPL 9.
A clinical performance from the Lions. They did well to pull back at the end and restrict Mumbai to 172/8. McCullum and Raina then came out firing on all cylinders and took the game away from Mumbai. Smith played a cameo to finish it off. The Lions pacers and medium pacers were pretty impressive and scalped all 8 wickets among them.
After 16 overs, Gujarat Lions 157/4 ( Dwayne Smith 34 , Ravindra Jadeja 9)
Gujarat Lions running away with this now. Raina departs in the 13th over but Smith’s counter-attack has put the Lions in command. He thumps one over Bumrah for a four, then clobbers one over deep square leg for a six. He then takes on McClenaghan and hammers him for a four through square leg. Next up his Hardik Pandya as he thumps one through mid off. He’s raced on to 34 off 20. Jadeja too has a couple of fours. 16 needed just off 24.
OUT! Bumrah gets the big one. The set Raina departs. S Raina c Buttler b Bumrah 58 (36b 8×4 2×6)
Good length delivery on middle and leg, Raina looks ot flick but is early into the shot. Ends up getting a top edge and Buttler takes a well-judged catch.
Ravindra Jadeja is the new batsman.
After 12 overs, Gujarat Lions 121/3 ( Suresh Raina 58 , Dwayne Smith 8)
Gujarat Lions have lost a couple of quick wickets but are still going well. Raina is looking in good touch. He hammered a couple of fours off Vinay Kumar. Smith then clobbered one over deep square leg for a huge six. 25 runs and two wickets in the last three overs.
OUT! Vinay Kumar strikes. Karthik departs. KD Karthik c Buttler b Vinay Kumar 3 (4b 0x4 0x6)
It’s an innocuous delivery. Karthik stays rooted to his crease and looks to flick but ends up getting an edge to the keeper.
Dwayne Smith is the new batsman.
OUT! Harbhajan finally provides some relief.
It’s the top spinner, McCullum goes for a wild swing but misses. The ball clips the top of stumps. The umpires are unsure whether it is an appeal for a stumping or bowled. They refer it to 3rd umpire and replays show it indeed clipped the top of middle.
Dinesh Karthik is the new batsman.
After 9 overs, Gujarat Lions 96/1 ( Brendon McCullum 48 , Suresh Raina 45)
The runs keep flowing and so too the boundaries. Raina hammers a couple of fours off Krunal. One through backward point, then through fine leg. McCullum then gets into the act as he pulls one through square leg off Harbhajan and then thumps one through covers.McClenaghan, however pulled it back somewhat giving away just 6 runs in the 9th over. 26 off the last 3 overs.
Gujarat Lions are the only team to score 70 or more runs in the Powerplays in this IPL and they have done it FOUR times! #GLvMI
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 21, 2016
After 6 overs, Gujarat Lions 70/1 ( Brendon McCullum 36 , Suresh Raina 32)
Raina and McCullum have gone berserk now. Vinay Kumar bowls a decent over and gives away just 7 in the fourth over. But McCullum then takes on Krunal and smacks him for 18 runs including two fours and a six. Raina then takes on Bumrah hitting him for a four and a six before getting luck as Bumrah dropped a touch chance off his own bowling. McCullum continued the carnage with a couple of fours more. 42 runs off the last 3 overs.
After 3 overs, Gujarat Lions 26/1 ( Brendon McCullum 5 , Suresh Raina 19)
A mixed start for both the teams. Vinay removes Finch off just the second ball of the over. And ends up bowling a wicket maiden. McCullum then gets off the mark with a thumping drive through mid off for four before Raina tears apart McClenaghan with Three fours and a six in the 3rd over.
OUT! Vinay Kumar strikes off the 2nd ball! A Finch lbw b Vinay Kumar 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)
Length delivery outside off, nips back in a touch. Finch, without any feet movement, looks to drive but misses and gets hit in front. Absolutely plumb.
Suresh Raina is the new batsman.
After 20 overs,Mumbai 172/8 ( Vinay Kumar 1)
A good end for Lions. Bravo bowled a brilliant penultimate over giving away just 6 runs. Praveen bowls an even better over as he cleans up Harbhajan Singh and then has Hardik caught in the deep, giving away just 6 runs in the final over. Mumbai bowlers now need to step up big time and win it for them.
After 18 overs, Mumbai 161/6 ( Hardik Pandya 1 , Harbhajan Singh 0)
Mumbai haven’t done well in the last 3 overs and need to go all out now. Rana was looking good as he hammered a six and four off Kulkarni and Bravo respectively but Bravo removed him on the 17th over to dent Mumbai. Pollard then miscued one for six but didn’t last long as he holed out to long off off Kulkarni. 26 runs and two wickets in the last 3 overs.
OUT! Kulkarni gets a crucial wicket. Pollard walks off. KA Pollard c Smith b Kulkarni 9 (11b 0x4 1×6)
Full toss outside off, Pollard looks to clear long off but ends up mistiming it straight to Smith on the fence.
Harbhajan Singh is the new batsman.
OUT! The slower one does the trick. The set Rana departs. N Rana c Kulkarni b Bravo 70 (36b 7×4 4×6)
It’s a slower length delivery outside off, Rana gets down for a slog sweep, doesn’t connect it well and helps it straight into the hands of Kulkarni at deep square leg.
Hardik Pandya is the new batsman.
After 15 overs,Mumbai 134/4 ( Nitish Rana 56 , Kieron Pollard 1)
Rana has kept the scorecard ticking. He smashes a six and a four off Jakati off slog sweeps. In between he lofts one over covers off Bravo for a four. He then brings up his 50 in style as he pulls one through mid-wicket for four and then cuts one through backward point. The loss of Buttler might have hurt Mumbai but Rana is playing a gem here. It’s the maiden IPL fifty for Rana, what a time to play a crucial innings. 31/1 in the last 3 overs.
OUT! Brilliant catch off his own bowling from Bravo. Buttler back in the hut. J Buttler c & b Bravo 33 (31b 3×4 0x6)
Full on off, Buttler absolutely smashes it straight back, Bravo shows great reflexes and pouches a brilliant catch.
Kieron Pollard strides out to the middle.
After 12 overs, Mumbai 103/3 ( Nitish Rana 30 , Jos Buttler 29)
Mumbai Indians finally upping the ante now. After Bravo bowls a tight over conceding just five, Buttler and Rana get together to score 11 off Jadeja. Rana slog sweeps one over long on for a six and then Buttler cuts it through point for four. Smith then loses his discipline in the next over as he bowls a high full toss which is carved over point for four by Rana and then the free hit is smashed over deep mid-wicket. 36 runs off the last 3 overs.
After 9 overs, Mumbai 67/3 ( Nitish Rana 8 , Jos Buttler 17)
Things have slowed down. Smith and Jakati with some disciplined bowling. After two overs without a boundary, Buttler finally releases the pressure valve as he cuts one powerfully through point.18 runs off the last 3 overs.
Mumbai Indians have lost 25 wkts in Powerplays - most by a team in this IPL. DD have lost 22 with one game to go. #GLvMI
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 21, 2016
After 6 overs, Mumbai 49/3 ( Nitish Rana 4 , Jos Buttler 4)
Lions have hit back really hard. Mumbai Indians seem to be in a hurry, not sure why. Rohit Lofted one over long off before perishing the next ball. Rana started off in style with a thumping pull through mid-wicket for four. Guptill then flicked one to fine leg for four before hitting one straight to mid on. Krunal too got off the mark with a four off a crunching punch through covers but departed next ball. Praveen Kumar then bowled a frugal over conceding just 4 – flicked to fine leg by Buttler for a boundary. 24 runs and 3 wickets in the last 3 overs.
OUT! MI seems to be in a hurry here. Krunal back in the hut now. K Pandya c Finch b Smith 4 (3b 1×4 0x6)
It’s short on middle and leg, Krunal looks to pull but gets a top edge, Finch at long leg takes a good catch. Smith gets his second wicket.
Jos Buttler is the new batsman.
OUT! Smith strikes in his first over. M Guptill c Bravo b Smith 7 (9b 1×4 0x6)
Guptill departs. A short of a good lenght delivery outside off, Guptill looks to smash it over mid on but doesn’t connect it well and helps it straight into the hands of Bravo at mid on.
Krunal Pandya is the new batsman.
OUT! Rohit’s cameo ends. R Sharma c Jakati b Kulkarni 30 (17b 4×4 2×6)
It’s short from Kulkarni, Rohit rocks back and pull, doesn’t find the middle and helps it straight to Jakati at deep square leg.
Nitish Rana strides out to the middle.
After 3 overs, Mumbai 25/0 ( Rohit Sharma 23 , Martin Guptill 2)
A lively start to the match. Rohit is lucky to be out there in the middle. He is looking in good touch though. He starts off with a crunching punch through covers off Praveen and the flicks the last ball of the over through square leg for second boundary in the over. He then smashes a wide ball through point for four. But then gets lucky as a huge LBW appeal is turned down against him off Dhawal Kulkarni. The umpire thoucht there was an inside edge but replays showed otherwise. Rohit then adds insult to injury as he lofts one over wide long off for six and pulls one through mid-wicket for four.
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