Mumbai: Resurgent Mumbai Indians excelled with a superb all-round display to stun table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in their track and recorded a comprehensive seven-wicket victory, their third successive after four straight losses, in the Indian Premier League at the D Y Patil Stadium here tonight.

Helped by some pathetic batting display by the visiting team, who went into their seventh tie with five successive wins behind them, the hosts bowled purposefully and fielded brilliantly to skittle out Rajasthan Royals for a meagre 103 in 16.2 overs.

The only way Rajasthan could win from that position when the asking rate was just over five was to trigger a dramatic collapse, which did not happen, and Mumbai Indians romped home by making 104 for three wickets in 15.1 overs to keep themselves firmly in the hunt for a semifinal berth.

Yogesh Takawale, the young Maharashtra Ranji wicketkeeper-batsman, came up with a fine all-round effort by snaring four victims behind the stumps and then making 27 during the run chase.

He also put on 41 runs for the opening wicket with veteran Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya (18) in 7.3 overs to give a good start to the run chase.

Jayasuriya fell pulling Shane Watson s long hop into deep square leg's hands and Takawale was bemused and bowled by a Shane Warne special, a flipper, as he shaped to cut to leave Mumbai Indians at 64 for two after 10 overs.  

Mumbai Indians bowled out Rajasthan Royals for just 103 runs in 16.2 overs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 match at the D Y Patil Sports Academy in Nerul here on Wednesday.

Ashish Nehra picked up three for 13 while Dhaval Kulkarni and Rohan Raje bagged two wickets each.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians Captain Shaun Pollock won the toss and elected to bowl against Rajasthan Royals.

Teams:

Rajasthan Royals: Shane Warne (Captain), Graeme Smith, Swapnil Asnodkar, Yusuf Pathan, Shane Watson, Mohammed Kaif, Ravindra Jadeja, Mahesh Rawat, Sohail Tanvir, Siddharth Trivedi and Munaf Patel.

Mumbai Indians: Shaun Pollock (Captain), Yogesh Takawale, Sanath Jayasuriya, Dominic Thornely, Robin Uthappa, Dwayne Bravo, Abhishek Nayar, Saurabh Tiwary, Rohan Raje, Ashish Nehra and Dhaval Kulkarni.

Umpires: Daryll Harper (Australia) and Rudi Koertzen (South Africa).

TV umpire: Billy Bowden (New Zealand).

Match referee: Talat Ali (Pakistan).

Source : IANS