Champions League Twenty20: Harbhajan delighted at ‘outstanding’ show

Captain spins Mumbai to big victory over Bangalore in final.

CHENNAI: Captain Harbhajan Singh was a delighted man after he spun Mumbai Indians to a 31-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore to lift the Champions League Twenty20 trophy.

Harbhajan said the performance was even more impressive after Mumbai were bowled out for a below-par 139, batting first in the final.

“We’ve performed outstandingly,” he said. “We were right in the game when we went in to bowl. It was just a matter of getting Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virat Kohli. It was a fantastic effort by the boys. We had the belief we could defend any total.”

Bangalore captain Daniel Vettori rued the batting collapse that scuttled his team’s hopes of winning the title.

“We thought the target was tough but gettable,” he said. “We got a good start, but things went pear-shaped after that. Mumbai had the experience on this track and they bowled well.”

Harbhajan bagged three wickets, removing the hard-hitting Gayle (five), Kohli (11) and Daniel Vettori (one) as Mumbai dismissed Bangalore for 108 on a low, slow pitch.

Harbhajan was superbly backed by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who finished with two for nine.

Bangalore lost their way after opener Dilshan dominated a 38-run stand for the opening wicket off four overs with Gayle. Dilshan scored a 20-ball 27 before being bowled by man-of-the-series, Lasith Malinga.

Earlier, Mumbai looked like setting a stiff target when they reached 105 for three in the 14th over, but they lost four wickets for as many runs, with Vettori taking two.

All-rounder James Franklin (41) propped up the innings adding 41 for the third wicket with Ambati Rayudu (22) and 40 for the next with Suryakumar Yadav (24).

Seamer Raju Bhatkal was the most successful bowler with three for 21.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2011.