This was, barring a WWE style
rebirth, Rising Pune Supergiants last ever IPL game. They made sure it went the
distance, all the way to the last ball, despite keeping Mumbai Indians down to
the lowest first innings total in the IPL Final.
Somehow, Pune managed to drag a
chase of 130 to the last ball. The first ever IPL final had come down to the
last ball too. Then, nine years ago, Sohail Tanvir pulled L Balaji for a single
to win it for Rajasthan Royals. Now, Mitchell Johnson bowled to Daniel
Christian with Pune needing four to win. Bowling from around the wicket,
Johnson went full and straight. Christian whipped it away to the left of deep
square leg. J Suchith, the substitute fielder, fumbled at the boundary,
allowing a second run. That wouldn't do for Pune. They needed four to win, and
three to tie.
The batsmen chased a desperate
third with Suchith's throw almost already in Parthiv Patel's gloves. Once
Parthiv collected it safely, only one result was possible. Mumbai Indians,
playing their fourth final, wrapped up their third title, winning by one run. Krunal
Pandya was Mumbai's hero with the bat, his 38-ball 47 dragging them from 79 for
7 to an eventual 129 for 8, a total that would enable their bowlers to scrap
all the way. Then, helped along by Pune's ODI-style top-order approach, those
scrapping bowlers managed to make the required rate creep steadily upwards -
with five overs to go, Pune were only two down but needed 47 from 30.
Given Mumbai's death bowling, this
was definitely not over. Jasprit Bumrah took out MS Dhoni in the 17th over.
Then Lasith Malinga and Bumrah again ensured Pune would only get two boundaries
across the 18th and 19th. That left Steven Smith, batting on 51, and Manoj
Tiwary 11 to get from the last over.
