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Rohit Sharma decides to bat first
Mumbai Indians recorded a convincing 58 runs win over Royal Challengers Bangalore during their IPL match at the Wankhede on Saturday.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians' skipper Rohit Sharma had the toss of the coin in his favour and elected to bat first, in their home game against table-toppers Bangalore.
Once again, Sachin Tendulkar opened the batting with Dwayne Smith.
Fireworks were expected from the veteran, in this, his first game at home since turning 40 on Wednesday.
Tendulkar looked in blazing form
Tendulkar showed flashes of his old self in the limited time he spent at the crease. He welcomed Ravi Rampaul with a boundary in his first over and looked to carry on from there.
He took a fancy to the West Indian bowler, hitting him all over the park. Tendulkar took four boundaries off Rampaul in the third over and was looking good for more.
However, Tendulkar was stopped in his tracks in the very next over. The famous son of Mumbai was dismissed leg before wicket by RP Singh. Tendulkar's blazing innings (23 off just 13 balls) was laced with five boundaries.
Dwayne Smith - MI's new main man
After Mumbai were reduced to 29 for 1, Dwayne Smith joined hands with Dinesh Karthik and the two took the game away from the Bangalore.
The duo gave Unadkat a tough time as the young pacaeman was treated with disdain. Even Vinay Kumar was not spared. In the 9th over Smith first smashed him for a flat and then followed it with two boundaries.
Smith then went on to score his second successive fifty in the competition. The West Indian's knock comprised four fours and three sixes, before being castled by left-arm spinner Syed Mohammad.
Sharma run-out
Rohit Sharma (10) came out to bat and began with a boundary, the shot helping the home team get past the 100-run mark.
But the captain was dismissed in unfortunate circumstances in the very next over. A wrong call for a run by Karthik ended Sharma's stay at the crease.
Karthik continues rich vein of form
Once Kieron Pollard joined Karthik in the middle, they began a batting party of their own.
Unadkat, Mohammad, Vinay Kumar and RP were together taken to the cleaners by the duo. Mumbai had a huge total in mind and all they visualised were fours and sixes.
In the 15th over Pollard hammered 18 runs off Mohammad. In the next over, Karthik sent Vinay Kumar to the boundary off two crisp strikes and Mumbai crossed the 15-run mark.
Pollard shows Carib magic
Pollard made a mockery of RP in the 17th over, hitting 17 off it -- two boundaries and a huge six over long-on to help raise the 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Karthik was then run-out for a brilliantly made 43, ending a 51-run partnership.
Mumbai then began to lose wickets in a heap.
Mumbai managed 194 for 7
Mumbai lost three wickets in an over, including those of Pollard, Karthik and a bizarre run out of Ambati Rayudu. In his breezy knock, Pollard struck two fours and three sixes.
But they managed to get 16 runs off the penultimate over and Mitchell Johnson slammed a big six over long-on in the last to reach 194 for seven.
All RCB bowlers had poor figures to show.
Gayle was no show
Nothing went to expectations for Bangalore, especially, the disappointment that was Chris Gayle.
The big-hitting West Indian was kept in his shell after some good, disciplined bowling by the Mumbai bowlers.
Just five runs off the first over, including a boundary by Gayle's opening partner, Dilshan.
Gayle then slammed a six over midwicket off the first ball of Johnson's second over. He almost gives his wicket away in the third but was lucky as the ball evaded both the slip fielders.
Gayle tested by Malinga's pace
Kulkarni pick of Mumbai's bowlers
Mumbai fans finally saw Dhawal Kulkarni get his first match of IPL 2013 and the local lad shone, and how!
Kulkarni had the best bowling figures for Mumbai, with fugures of 3-19 of his stipulated four overs.
He started Bangalore's downfall by first claiming Dilshan, having him caught at third man by Johnson. He then had Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in quick succession to make a mockery of Bangalore's chase.