Mumbai Indians were left to rue their luck as heavy rains forced their Champions League Twenty20 match against Cape Cobras to be abandoned in Bangalore on Friday, hampering the home side's chances of advancing to the semifinals.
Asked to bat first after the coin landed in the Cobras' favour, Kieron Pollard (58 off 37 balls) and debutant Sarul Kanwar (45 off 21) powered Mumbai to a daunting 176 for five before rain intervened at the break.
What seemed like a steady drizzle soon transformed into heavy downpour, making the turf at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium unplayable.
As there was no let-up in rain, the umpires were left with no option but to call off the group A tie at 11.05 pm, 35 minutes before the cut-off time. The first abandoned match in the history of Champions League T20 ensured both teams settle for a point each.
Mumbai still lead the table with five points but their hopes of progressing to last-four stage now rests on their next match, a must-win one for the Harbhajan Singh-led side. Cobras have three points after three games while Chennai Super Kings and New South Wales have two each.
Earlier Kieron Pollard smashed a blistering half-century while debutant Sarul Kanwar played a cameo as Mumbai Indians posted a competitive 176 for five.
Pollard, who smashed 58 off 37 deliveries with the help three sixes and six fours, was well supported by James Fraklin (18) who was involved in a 69-run fourth-wicket partnership with the West Indian.
Put into bat, opener Kanwar (45) lofted Charles Langeveldt over square-leg for a six to kickstart the assault. Kanwar was unstoppable as he hit Dale Steyn for a four and a six in the third over and then plundered 17 runs off JP Duminy courtesy two fours and a six over deep midwicket.
Mumbai reached the 50-run mark in the fifth over as Kanwar continued his onslaught. In the seventh over, Kanwar hit a six off Robin Peterson, but the Cobras spinner got his revenge as an inside-out shot by the right-hander found Owais Shah at the long-off. Kanwar's 21-ball cameo consisted of three fours and five sixes.
Following Kanwar's departure, Mumbai lost two quick wickets in the form of Aiden Blizzard (19) and Ambati Rayudu (6) as they reached 75 for three at the halfway stage. Pollard made his intentions clear from the outset as he hit two sixes off Duminy to score 17 runs off the 12th over.
In the company of Franklin, Pollard took the score past 100-run mark in the 13th over. Pollard was at his destructive best as he first plundered two sixes off Peterson in the 15th over and then smashed Langeveldt for a six and a four in the next.
After bringing up his fifty with a four off Steyn in the 19th over, Pollard departed after being caught by Shah. Andrew Symonds (14 not out) then provided the late flourish.
For Cobras, Peterson was the most successful bowler, picking up two for 29 while Steyn, Duminy and Kemp accounted for one wicket apiece.
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