Chennai: Mumbai Indians paid the price of a listless batting display as they suffered their first defeat in the Champions League Twenty20 with a five-wicket loss to New South Wales here today.
Electing to bat, Mumbai could score a paltry 100 for seven in their last Group A league match with James Franklin top-scoring with a 51-ball 42 and only two other lower-order batsmen crossing double digit at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The bowlers, however, gave hopes of a memorable victory with a spirited fight by reducing NSW to 28 for five in the seventh over before they lost the plot and failed to break the sixth wicket partnership of Steven Smith (45 not out) and Ben Rohrer (26 not out).
The duo shared 73 runs from 10.4 overs for unbroken sixth wicket to guide NSW to their second win of the tournament by reaching 101 for five with three overs to spare.
Mumbai ended their league engagements on five points while NSW are on four with one match to play.
Defending a meagre total, Mumbai tried to make a match out of it as their fired up pacers ran through the NSW top order with Abu Nechim Ahmed (3/23) scalping three while Lasith Malinga (1/23) removed captain Simon Katich.
Ahmed removed Watson (3) with his first delivery with the ball first thudding on the pads of the batsman en route to hitting the stumps. Ahmed removed Watson (3) with his first delivery with the ball first thudding on the pads of the batsman en route to hitting the stumps. (PTI)