The Mumbai Indians had all the advantages they could have asked for – they got to play in their home stadium, they did not have to worry about Ben Stokes and they also won the all-important toss in this win-and-you-go-into-the-final Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2017 playoffs.
However, despite all the odds being stacked against them, the Rising Pune Supergiant put on a brilliant all-round performance to ease past the Mumbai Indians and with it book their place in the IPL 2017 final.
Put into bat first at the Wankhede cauldron, RPS got to 162, thanks to a half-century each from Ajinkya Rahane and Manoj Tiwary and an MS Dhoni final overs special.
In the chase, MI lost too many wickets early, and from there the RPS bowlers tightened the noose to clinch their place in the Sunday's final in Hyderabad.
While RPS only got past 160 thanks to a late assault from Dhoni, MI would have still backed themselves to get to the target comfortably, even if the pitch was on the slower side.
However, the Mumbai Indians got themselves into big trouble early on by losing four quick wickets.
Lendl Simmons (5, 13b) was extremely unlucky to go, with Shardul Thakur getting his fingertips to a straight drive from Parthiv Patel and the ball going on to hit the stumps with the non-striker out of his crease.
The next over, Washington Sundar would produce a double strike. First, when Rohit Sharma (1, 2b) was unfortunately given out lbw despite getting an inside edge, with Ambati Rayudu (0, 3b) then chipping one to Steve Smith, who took a great catch diving forward at midwicket.
Kieron Pollard (7, 10b, 1x4) came in and looked to calm things down with Parthiv, who was going quite smoothly at the other end, but another chip to midwicket off the same bowler would see his innings come to an end as well.
Hardik Pandya (14, 10b, 1x4, 1x6) walked in and looked to counter-attack immediately, but after a six and a four, another big shot attempt only resulted in him holing out at long-on off Lockie Ferguson.
When Hardik fell, the equation was far from impossible at 88 off 53 balls, but with just the one recognised batting pair remaining – unless you count Karn Sharma as a batsman – wickets in hand was always going to be the big problem.
A big partnership between the two left-handers Parthiv and Krunal Pandya, who had an excellent time of it with the ball, was essential. There would be no big partnership, as Krunal (15, 11b, 2x4) holed out to Dan Christian at long-off off the bowling of Shardul Thakur, an over after he was dropped by Thakur off Christian, before Parthiv (52, 40b, 3x4, 3x6) did the same a couple of balls later.
With those two wickets gone, so was the match as far as MI were concerned.
The RPS innings did not get going at all until Dhoni did what he has done all his career – smoke those sixes.
After the Rising Pune Supergiant lost two quick wickets – crucial ones of Rahul Tripathi and Steve Smith – both Ajinkya Rahane and Manoj Tiwary dropped anchor together.
Tripathi (0, 2b) was castled by a brilliant in-swinger from Mitchell McClenaghan off the last ball of the first over, before Lasith Malinga picked up the huge wicket of the RPS skipper Smith (1, 2b), who found a leading edge, while trying to go for one of his usual flicks to the onside.
Rahane and Tiwary, realising that this was not a 200 wicket, and that the ball was stopping, decided a partnership, doesn't matter at what pace, was the need of the hour, and it turned out to be a great decision.
Thanks to their partnership of 80 from just a shade under 11 overs, RPS had a platform to work on. And when Rahane (56, 43b, 5x4, 1x6) fell after only his second half-century of IPL 2017, the big man walked in to chants of "Dhoni, Dhoni, Dhoni."
It took a while for Dhoni to get going, and for a bit it looked like being another one of his frustrating innings, with the veteran struggling to get bat on ball. It seemed like he was trying a little too hard at times, but you also felt "get one in the middle, and the rest will come."
That proved to be the case, with Dhoni, who was on 14 from 17 balls and RPS on 121/3 at the start of the final two overs, cutting loose like only he can.
Tiwary (58, 48b, 4x4, 2x6), actually, started the final two over assault, smashing McClenaghan for a four and a six, before Dhoni finished the over off with a couple more sixes. All of 26 runs would come from that over, and the assault would continue in the final one, with Jasprit Bumrah going for a couple of maximums.
Dhoni's innings of 40 from 26 balls did not have a single four, but there were five sixes, and how important those proved to be.
Watch the highlights of MI vs RPS Qualifier 1
IPL 2017 playoffs Qualifier 1: MI vs RPS scorecard:
Toss: MI, who chose to bowl.
RPS: 162/4 in 20 overs.
MI: 142/9 in 20 overs.
Result: RPS won by 20 runs.
Bowling: MI: Mitchell McClenaghan 4-0-46-1; Lasith Malinga 3-0-14-1; Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-33-0; Karn Sharma 4-0-30-1; Krunal Pandya 4-0-22-0; Hardik Pandya 1-0-15-0.
RPS: Jaydev Unadkat 4-0-24-1; Washington Sundar 4-0-16-3; Lockie Ferguson 3-0-21-1; Shardul Thakur; Adam Zampa 1-0-9-0; Dan Christian 4-0-33-0.
Fall of wickets: RPS: 6/1, Rahul Tripathi (1 over); 9/2, Steve Smith (1.5 overs); 89/3, Ajinkya Rahane (12.4 overs); 162/4, Manoj Tiwary (20 overs).
MI: 35/1, Lendl Simmons (4.3 overs); 41/2, Rohit Sharma (5.1 overs); 41/3, Ambati Rayudu (5.4 overs); 51/4, Kieron Pollard (8 overs); 75/5, Hardik Pandya (11.1 overs); 101/6, Krunal Pandya (14.3 overs); 103/7, Parthiv Patel (15 overs); 111/8, Karn Sharma (17 overs); 134/9, Mitchell McClenaghan (19.3 overs).
