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Rohit, Rickelton keep Mumbai in IPL playoff hunt
Openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton took apart the Lucknow Super Giants attack as Mumbai Indians powered to a six-wicket win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive in the IPL on Monday.
Rohit, who hit 84, and Rickelton (83) put on 143 runs to lay the foundations for Mumbai's chase of 229 with eight balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.
Five-time champions Mumbai, who were without unwell captain Hardik Pandya, stay ninth in the 10-team table with three wins in 10 matches.
Lucknow, led by Rishabh Pant, languish at the bottom and are nearly out of the race for the playoffs.
"I think we need some good luck, man," said Pant. "That's the only thing I'm going to say. And it's going to take some more effort from us, for sure."
The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the playoffs.
The 39-year-old Rohit returned from a five-match injury absence to hit his second fifty of the season as he struck six fours and seven sixes in his 44-ball knock.
South Africa's Rickelton kept up his blazing form in his 32-ball blitz before his departure in the 11th over.
"One of Mumbai's greatest, one of India's greatest," Rickelton said of his opening partner. "I really enjoy spending time out there."
Rohit, who came in as an impact substitute after Lucknow made 228-5, kept up the momentum with his trademark pull shot and wristy flicks.
He finally fell to Manimaran Siddharth's left-arm spin and Tilak Varma soon fell for 11 to raise Lucknow's dimming hopes.
Stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav departed for 12 before Naman Dhir, who made 23 not out, and Will Jacks, who hit the winning six in his unbeaten 10, steered the team home.
Earlier Lucknow's West Indies star Nicholas Pooran struck form with a 21-ball 63 to put Lucknow on course for a big total.
Australian opener Mitchell Marsh provided the early impetus with his 44 off 25 balls and put on 94 runs for the second wicket with Pooran.
Pace bowler Corbin Bosch dismissed Pooran and Marsh in the ninth over to hit back for Mumbai, and Lucknow stuttered towards the end of their innings.
Aiden Markram, who hit 31 not out, and Himmat Singh, who scored 40 not out, put on an unbroken stand of 68 but struggled for fluency, managing just one boundary between them in the final three overs.
(A.Moore--TAG)
