Mumbai Indians lose their first T20 Champions League game

15 October, 2012

After losing their first encounter, Mumbai Indians need to pull up their socks, if they are to survive in T20 Champions League. South Africans made full use of home conditions and scored an easy win over them.

MUMBAI INDIANS - defending champions the the Champions League T20 lost their first match against better looking South African team, Highveld Lions yesterday (Sunday) at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

Lions had won the first battle - the toss after which they decided to asked their opponents to bat first. The Mumbai players put up decent score of 157 on the board. They could have scored more, if any one of their batsmen stayed longer at the crease and converted their scores into big ones. All of them started their innings brightly. Mitchell Johnson and Dwayne Smith were the highest scorers for Mumbai with 30 and 26 runs.

But, the South Africans made full use of their experience playing in their home conditions. They were able to chase the target with ease in just 18.5 overs, losing just two wickets. N Mckenzie and Q De Kock who scored 68 and 51 runs respectively were the star performers.

Mumbai Indians need to improve upon their performance to make it to the next round of the competition. They are scheduled to play their next match against a strong English team, Yorkshire on October 18 at New Lands, Cape Town, which they need to win to register their first points on the board.