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Dhawan back to pavilion early
After being put in to bat, Mumbai Indians lost the Shikhar Dhawan cheaply.
Dhawan did start well, hitting a couple of boundaries. He hit Kemar Roach for a couple of fours before Jaskaran Singh snapped him for eight.
Dhawan couldn't get his bat back in time to a full delivery from the medium pacer and was adjudged leg-before the wicket.
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Tendulkar in his element
Sachin Tendulkar, at the other end, picked up from where he left off against Chennai Super Kings. He first hit the young Jaskaran for consecutive boundaries to up the tempo.
Dwayne Bravo, who came in at No. 3, made his intentions clear by hitting a six and a boundary off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha. In the next over, hit two boundaries off Andrew Symonds.
However, he couldn't last long as he lofted a pitched up delivery straight down Symonds's throat at long-off. He made 23 runs off 16 balls, which included three boundaries and one six.
Tendulkar, meanwhile, completed his fourth half-century of the third edition of the IPL, when he played one towards fine leg off Symonds.
He scored 55 off 43 balls, which included nine hits to the fence.
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Late strikes peg back Mumbai Indians
However, Mumbai Indians lost too many wickets in the middle overs, decimating the good start given to them by Tendulkar and Bravo.
Young Saurabh Tiwary, who had been in good form in the series, failed to stay at the crease.
Mumbai lost Satish and the big-hitting Kieron Pollard in the space of two overs and were reduced to 97 for six from a comfortable 63 for one.
Things worsened when RP Singh snapped Tendulkar, who was caught behind by Adam Gilchrist.
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Harbhajan blitz lifts Mumbai
In came Harbhajan Singh, with Mumbai Indians struggling to play out the stipulated overs. He made his intentions clear by hitting Symonds for a six and boundary in the 18th over.
In the next over, he ripped apart Roach as he plundered three boundaries and a six, resulting in 19 runs in the 19th over.
And it didn't end there.
Harbhajan continued to make merry with the bat as he hit another four boundaries in the final over, scoring a blistering unbeaten 49 off 18 balls, which included eight boundaries and two towering sixes.
Mumbai Indians finished with 172 for seven.
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Gilchrist sent packing
Chasing a competitive 173 for a win, it was important for Gilchrist to fire, but that was not to be.
Tendulkar tossed the ball to Harbhajan and he didn't disappoint.
The off-spinner struck with the second ball of the innings, when he had the Australian edging one to Tendulkar in the slips.
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Gibbs kept Chargers in the hunt for a while
With Gilchrist back in the hut, Herschelle Gibbs and Monish Mishra kept the Chargers in the hunt.
Gibbs hit consecutive sixes off Zaheer Khan and Chargers looked to move on. But just as things were looking good for the them, Gibbs was caught at the point by Pollard off Zaheer.
He made a 16-ball 27, with three boundaries and two sixes. Chargers kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Malinga reduced Chargers further, when he picked up two wickets in an over, which included the big wicket of Symonds.
Malinga bowled one wide of off-stump and Symonds slashed it straight to Bravo at third man.
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Mumbai Indians secure an easy win
Rohit Sharma provided a semblance of fight for the Chargers, but that was not enough to stop Mumbai Indians from securing an easy 41-run victory.
Chargers were bundled out for 131 in 17.4 overs
Mumbai Indians have now secured five wins from six matches. Harbhajan deservedly was named the man-of-the-match for his effort.
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