Cricket news round-up – 13 May: Mumbai Indians win IPL a record fourth time

Mumbai Indians became the first team to win the IPL four times, following their win in the final against Chennai Super Kings at Hyderabad; Pakistan Women pulled off a thrilling tie against South Africa Women; Kagiso Rabada is all set to play the upcoming World Cup; and Hampshire will face Somerset in the Royal London One-Day Cup final.

Mumbai hold nerve to clinch fourth IPL

Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings by 1 run to win IPL 2019. Chennai needed to score 9 off the last ball, but Lasith Malinga, who had had a bad day till then, conceded just 7 off the first 5. Then he trapped Shardul Thakur leg-before with the last ball.

Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma had set off well, adding 45 in 31 balls for the opening stand. But Mumbai lost their way after that, and it was only Kieron Pollard’s 25-ball unbeaten 41 that took them to 149/8. Deepak Chahar had 4-1-26-3, while Imran Tahir’s 3-0-23-2 helped him clinch the Purple Cap.

Chennai became 82/4 in response after MS Dhoni was run out by the third umpire after much deliberation. Shane Watson (80 in 59), however, kept the chase going even after Chennai needed 62 from the last 5 overs. He took 20 off both Malinga and Krunal Pandya, which made up for Jasprit Bumrah’s 2-0-13-1 at the death.

Malinga (3-0-42-0 at that stage) returned, conceding 1, 1, 2 off the first three balls. Then Watson was run out while attempting a second run, and Thakur got two. Malinga, as mentioned above, trapped Thakur leg-before to seal it.

Pakistan Women tie series

Having scored 265/6, South Africa Women had as good as batted Pakistan Women out of the match – and series – after Lizelle Lee (57), Laura Wolvaardt (56), and Sune Luus (80) all got fifties. Aliya Riaz took 2/49.

Pakistan were then reduced to 37/3 before Javeria Khan (74) lifted them, but they still needed 101 with 5 wickets in hand when she fell. Riaz (71) took over, adding 32 and 46 for the next two stands before falling herself.

Then Riaz fell herself, leaving Pakistan to chase 17 in 14 balls. Shabnim Ismail gave away just 4 in the 49th over. Chloe Tryon ran Aiman Anwer off the second ball of the last over.

Pakistan needed 11 off the last 4 balls, and they managed 3 off the first 2. Then Nashra Sandhu hit Masabata Klaas for six, and ran a single to tie the match – and series.

Rabada to play World Cup

Kagiso Rabada will recover in time to play in the 2019 World Cup. Rabada had pulled a back muscle during his stint for Delhi Capitals in the recently concluded IPL, where he held the Purple Cap till the final.

Rabada’s fellow fast bowlers Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi, and Anrich Nortje have all picked up injuries of late. While there is no update on Steyn or Ngidi, Nortje has already been ruled out of the tournament and replaced by Chris Morris.

Hampshire, Somerset in Royal London One-Day Cup final

Hampshire will face Somerset in the Royal London One-Day Cup final, at Lord’s on May 25.

At the Rose Bowl yesterday, Gareth Berg (5/26) and Mason Crane (3/42) bowled out Lancashire for 241. Keaton Jennings (63) and Jake Lehmann (62) were the only ones to put up some resistance.

Saqib Mahmood (3/46) hit back, reducing Hampshire to 23/3 before James Vince (79) and Rilee Rossouw (85) added 122 for the fourth wicket. Lancashire might have fancied a chance when Hampshire became 221/6, but Berg and James Fuller made sure there were no hiccups.

Meanwhile, Tom Banton (59), Azhar Ali (72), and Peter Trego (73) took Somerset to 337 – though they should have scored more from 185/3 in 29 overs. Jake Ball took 4/62.

Ben Slater (58) and Alex Hales (51) took Nottinghamshire to 110/1 in the 18th over before they collapsed to 222. Roelof van der Merwe (3/23) was the pick of the bowlers.