Yahoo Sports Mumbai finishes bottom of the IPL table after losing to Lucknow by 18 runs
MUMBAI, India (AP) — Lucknow Super Giants beat the five-time champion Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in the last Indian Premier League game for both on Friday.
They were already out of playoffs contention but played out a match that became surprisingly close.
Lucknow put up a mighty 214-6 thanks to Nicholas Pooran’s electrifying 75 off 29 balls and captain Lokesh Rahul’s fighting 55 off 41 deliveries.
Mumbai impact substitute Rohit Sharma, who will be leading India at the T20 World Cup next month, gave Mumbai a rollicking start to the big chase with 68 off 38 balls, and Naman Dhir’s unbeaten 62 off 28 narrowed the margin of defeat. Mumbai finished at 196-6.
Pooran and Rahul combined in a 109-run fourth-wicket stand in 7.2 overs. Pooran hit eight sixes and five fours and his entertainment ended when he holed out at long on, giving Nuwan Thushara the second of his three wickets.
After Rahul top-edged a sweep against Piyush Chawla in the 18th over, Ayush Badoni (22 off 10 balls) and Krunal Pandya (12 off seven balls) guided Lucknow past 200.
Sharma struck three sixes and 10 boundaries as he added 88 runs for the first wicket with Dewald Brevis (23) off 52 balls.
Mumbai’s middle order collapsed to 120-5 in the 15th over as Lucknow held onto some brilliant catches that included a Ravi Bishnoi juggle at deep backward square leg to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav for a duck.
Dhir counterattacked with five sixes and four boundaries but Mumbai remained last on the table with only four wins in 14 matches.
Lucknow was sixth with a 7-7 record.
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