Mumbai: Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh led a clinical bowling show with a five-wicket haul after Rohit Sharma's batting heroics as Mumbai Indians scored a thrilling eight-run victory over defending champions Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League clash here tonight.
Mumbai posted a challenging 164 for four after being put into bat, thanks to a 48-ball 87 by Rohit and then Harbhajan (5/18) produced this IPL season's second five-wicket haul to give the home side their fourth win in five games.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Harbhajan Singh, center, celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Jogindar Sharma
Harbhajan's MI team-mate Lasith Malinga was the first to take five wickets this season with five for 13 against Delhi Daredevils on April 10.
The home side also produced a superb fielding show with the match turning their way with Kieron Pollard taking a stunning forward diving catch to remove Michael Hussey in the fifth over.
With this win at the Wankhede Stadium, MI surged to sole top slot with eight points.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Harbhajan Singh, center, and Andrew Symonds, right, celebrate the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Suresh Raina
Chasing a challenging total of 165, CSK lost wickets at regular intervals, including three in the 18th over from man of the match Harbhajan to be left stranded at 156 for nine.
Subramaniam Badrinath made a fighting, unbeaten 71 from 48 balls while Hussey scored 41 in 33 balls for a losing cause while the rest of the batsmen caved in meekly.
In Image: Chennai Super Kings' Subramaniam Badrinath plays a stroke
It was Harbhajan who took the bowling honours in the match with his five-wicket haul while Kieron Pollard took two catches, one of them a fabulous diving catch to send back danger man Hussey off Malinga.
Malinga, who today announced his retirement from Test cricket, ended up with fine figures of two for 20 while Munaf Patel and Pollard took a wicket apiece to help last year's runners-up Mumbai defeat their arch-rivals for the fourth time in eight meetings in IPL history.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma plays a shot as Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni looks on
Chennai began their reply by losing two wickets within the first five overs with Murali Vijay departing after scoring 12 and Suresh Raina caught and bowled for five by Harbhajan. The double strike left Chennai at 38 for two in the fifth over.
Hussey and Badrinath then put on 60 runs for the third wicket in 6.4 overs to put their side on course of the run chase. Both used the pace of the bowlers to find the gaps with nudges, flicks and off-glides.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Andrew Symonds bats
Badrinath outscored his Australian partner by finding the gaps with aplomb. He also stepped out once to Rohit to slam the bowler for a six over the straight field.
However, Hussey surged past his partner by striking two fours off R Satish, the seventh bowler to be used by Tendulkar, in successive balls.
In Image: Chennai Super Kings' Mahendra Singh Dhoni, right, celebrates with teammate Mike Hussey the dismissal of Mumbai Indians' Sachin Tendulkar
Mumbai posted a challenging 164 for four after being put into bat, thanks to a 48-ball 87 by Rohit and then Harbhajan (5/18) produced this IPL season's second five-wicket haul to give the home side their fourth win in five games.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Harbhajan Singh, center, celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Jogindar Sharma
Harbhajan's MI team-mate Lasith Malinga was the first to take five wickets this season with five for 13 against Delhi Daredevils on April 10.
The home side also produced a superb fielding show with the match turning their way with Kieron Pollard taking a stunning forward diving catch to remove Michael Hussey in the fifth over.
With this win at the Wankhede Stadium, MI surged to sole top slot with eight points.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Harbhajan Singh, center, and Andrew Symonds, right, celebrate the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Suresh Raina
Chasing a challenging total of 165, CSK lost wickets at regular intervals, including three in the 18th over from man of the match Harbhajan to be left stranded at 156 for nine.
Subramaniam Badrinath made a fighting, unbeaten 71 from 48 balls while Hussey scored 41 in 33 balls for a losing cause while the rest of the batsmen caved in meekly.
In Image: Chennai Super Kings' Subramaniam Badrinath plays a stroke
It was Harbhajan who took the bowling honours in the match with his five-wicket haul while Kieron Pollard took two catches, one of them a fabulous diving catch to send back danger man Hussey off Malinga.
Malinga, who today announced his retirement from Test cricket, ended up with fine figures of two for 20 while Munaf Patel and Pollard took a wicket apiece to help last year's runners-up Mumbai defeat their arch-rivals for the fourth time in eight meetings in IPL history.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma plays a shot as Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni looks on
Chennai began their reply by losing two wickets within the first five overs with Murali Vijay departing after scoring 12 and Suresh Raina caught and bowled for five by Harbhajan. The double strike left Chennai at 38 for two in the fifth over.
Hussey and Badrinath then put on 60 runs for the third wicket in 6.4 overs to put their side on course of the run chase. Both used the pace of the bowlers to find the gaps with nudges, flicks and off-glides.
In Image: Mumbai Indians' Andrew Symonds bats
Badrinath outscored his Australian partner by finding the gaps with aplomb. He also stepped out once to Rohit to slam the bowler for a six over the straight field.
However, Hussey surged past his partner by striking two fours off R Satish, the seventh bowler to be used by Tendulkar, in successive balls.
In Image: Chennai Super Kings' Mahendra Singh Dhoni, right, celebrates with teammate Mike Hussey the dismissal of Mumbai Indians' Sachin Tendulkar
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