‘Wherever I go, people remind me of the last-ball six’: Mumbai Indians batsman recalls thrilling win
The Royals set Mumbai Indians a target of 190, but MI needed to knock it off in 14.3 overs, to improve their run-rate over the Royals and claw their way into the Playoffs.
The thrilling five wicket win against Rajasthan Royals in the 2014 IPL has to be one of Mumbai Indians’ most thrilling matches of all time. The Royals set Mumbai Indians a target of 190, but MI needed to knock it off in 14.3 overs, to improve their run-rate over the Royals and claw their way into the Playoffs.
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No one would have banked MI to pull off a jailbreak of such kind but it was made possible by Corey Anderson, who struck a belligerent 95 off 44 to be rightly named Player of the Match. However, Aditya Tare deserved equal credit for the win, who hammered a six off the first ball he faced to knock Royals out of the competition.
“Mumbai Indians has such a huge and loyal fanbase not just in India but across the world,” Tare said during an Instagram Live session with Cricket Graph. “Fortunately, there was a moment in my career when it came down to one ball with a boundary or six needed, and it worked out for me as a batsman. Wherever I go or meet people, the first thing they keep reminding me about is the last ball six and the celebration. So, it is a very special moment for me.”
MI headed into IPL 2014 as defending champions, but having lost their first seven matches – during the UAE leg – no one game MI, much of a chance. Surprisingly, during the India leg, MI roared back to win six matches out of seven, with match 56 of the tournament being a knockout for the final Playoff spot between them and the Royals.
Half-centuries from Sanju Samson and Karun Nair got Royals to 189, which needed to be defended off 87 balls. But MI responded with perhaps the heist the IPL, when Tare, off his first ball, dispatched a leg stump full toss over deep midwicket. As euphoria exploded at the Wankhede, two sights stood out. Tare running wildly with his jersey on his face and Rahul Dravid, the Royals mentor, losing his temper and throwing his cap onto the ground.
“I had my eyes on the shorter boundary at the leg side, which I was confident about clearing. I thought he was going to bowl me at off stump but he offered me a full-toss,” Tare said.
“I middled it perfectly and the ball went into the stands. The fact that it happened in Wankhede was great in front of our loyal fan base. That last-ball six to me is as good as a golden goal in a football World Cup. The celebration was purely my instinct as a football fan.”