IPL 2017 final - Mumbai Indians beat RPS to win their third IPL title in last-ball thriller

Mumbai Indians have become the first team to win the IPL title thrice as they beat Rising Pune Supergiant by one run in Hyderabad. Mumbai Indians' bowlers showed great character with the ball in the second innings when their batsmen had failed in the first half of the match.

Chasing 130 runs to win, RPS were cruising towards the target, but some brilliant bowling from all MI bowlers made this victory possible.

However, RPS will be a disappointed unit after coming so close, but losing in the final hurdle when they were in the driver's seat during the middle overs of their chase. 

MUMBAI INDIANS WIN BY ONE RUN. It is their third title.

11:48: Johnson bowls a brilliant yorker, misses the stumps. They take one run. 6 runs from 2 balls. Anything is possible. Hardik Pandya drops a catch, but it was not an easy one. RPS need 4 runs from 1 ball. They just manage to take two runs, and it is all over for RPS, who have lost the final.

11:45: WICKET....WICKET....Smith hits it straight to the fielder, the only man in the off-side. Smith is dejected.MI 123/5, 7 runs from three balls.

11:42: Simon Doull in the comm box says, 'what an IPL final', and I agree with him especially after MI's fightback. 11 runs from 6 balls, and Johnson to Tiwary, who hits the ball for a boundary, goes towards the off-side and sweeps the ball for a boundary. WICKET.Johnson takes revenge, dismisses Tiwary, caught in the deep. MI 123/4, need 7 runs from 4 balls.

11:38: Bumrah with the 19th over. Full toss from Bumrah and Smith hits the ball in the leg side, but it is safe, just one run. Slower ball, and Tiwary can only manage a single. Bumrah, you beauty. Again on the money yorkers. Four balls and four singles. Smith straight down the ground, and it is six. What a hit under pressure despite it being a full length ball. The lat ball is taken for a couple. RPS 119/3, 19 overs (Smith 51, Tiwary 3), 11 runs from 6 balls

I never knew I would be writing about the 19th over of the second innings after MI only scored 129 runs. This game has gone down to the wire, and I still cannot believe it. 

11:30: Malinga with his last over. He bowls it full, dot ball. Another full ball, and Smith can only just take a single. Three balls and two singles. Are Mumbai Indians going to win this match?? I just have a feeling, they might. but, you never know. Malinga has been awesome this over, on the money stuff from Malinga. Smith moves across to his off side, and flicks the ball for a four. RPS 107/3, 18 overs (Smith 41, Tiwary 2), need 23 runs from 12 balls

11:24: Manoj Tiwary joins Smith at the middle. The Australian has to finish off the match for RPS, but he will need support from the other end. Tiwary is trapped LBW, ball hits pads first, not out, says umpire, and he is right. Just three runs from the over. RPS 100/3, 17 overs (Smith 35, Tiwary 1), need 30 runs from 18 balls

11:20: The match is not yet over. Bumrah will bowl the 17th over. Yorkers, it will be, should be, for sure. On Smith's pads and just one run for the Australian. Good fielding from H Pandya, and WICKET it is for Bumrah as Dhoni edges the ball to Parthiv. MI 98/3, need 32 runs from 22 balls

11:17: RPS have just lost two wickets, and MI have bowled well in the last few overs to make this match interesting. A couple of wickets for MI and especially of these two players batting in the middle, MI will believe in themselves. This 16th over of K Pandya will be crucial. Dhoni dances down the track, but just one run. Smith does the same, one run. Dhoni gets that through the point area, and it is four, and follows that win one run. Switch hit for a six from Smith.  14 runs from the over. RPS 97/2, 16 overs (Smith 33, Dhoni 10), need 33 runs from 24 balls

11:08: This is an interesting phase. 53 runs from 36 balls though RPS are still the favourite. Smith is feeling the pressure as he goes for a huge shot, fails to middle the ball. Only one run. Malinga bowls a wide yorker, dot ball to Dhoni, who flicks the ball for another single in the next ball. Smith ends the over with a couple. Good over from Malinga. RPS 83/2, 15 overs (Smith 25, Dhoni 4), need 47 runs from 30 balls

11:02: Smith is milking the bowler, another single. The Australian knows what he is doing. Dhoni is not able to find the gaps easily, but he comes down the track and takes a single. Smith does the same, but he takes a couple. RPS 77/2, 14 overs (Smith 22, Dhoni 2)

10:57: Karn to Dhoni, who comes down the track and opens his account with a single. Smith is taking it easy, takes single in the leg side, goes back and flicks it. Dhoni survives a close LBW call. RPS 73/2, 13 overs (Smith 19, Dhoni 1)

10:53: Dhoni walks into the middle, and the crowd gives him a standing ovation. RPS 71/2, 12 overs (Smith 13, Dhoni 0)

10:52: Slower one from Mitchell and one run to Rahane, who guides the ball to the third man region. Smith, next, cuts the ball powerfully for a boundary. The fielder did not have a chance. RPS have the game, almost, in their bag as the pair have also completed 50-run partnership, but wait, Rahane is gone as Pollard takes an important diving catch. WICKET. RPS 71/2

10:48: K Pandya with the ball. Remember, he had dropped Rahane. Can he make up for it? It is not just happening for MI as Simmons misfields in the boundary line for a four. Rahane brings his sweep shot out, again, for a single. RPS 65/1, 11 overs (Rahane 43, Smith 13)

10:43: MI are trying their best to break this partnership. They bring on Mitchell Johnson. Smith guides the ball towards the sweeper for one run. The Aussie bowls towards the leg side, flicked by Rahane for a couple. Short from Mitch, and Rahane plays the ball in the leg side for a boundary. One bounce four. RPS 58/1, 10 overs (Rahane 37, Smith 12)

10:40: Rahane gets a full toss, plays it calmy for a single. No need to play the big 'silly' shots. Smith plays the ball in the air, and falls short of the bowler. They reach their 50 in 8.4 balls. RPS 50/1, 9 overs (Rahane 30, Smith 11)

10:37: Bumrah is back. Can he take wickets? First two balls, two runs. Rahane and Smith are not taking any risks, They are just dealing in singles. Most of the runs behind the wicket from the over. RPS 48/1, 8 overs (Rahane 29, Smith 10)

10:33: Karn to Smith, who takes a couple in the firs ball. Karn gives the ball some air, and he is just driven for a single. The ball goes to the same area, but Rahane, this time, square cuts the ball. Karn ends the over with a dot ball, and that was wrong one from him. RPS 43/1, 7 overs (Rahane 26, Smith 8)

10:25: That was super, super close. Rahane drops the ball, and Smith goes for a single. Smith dives to reach the batting crease, and the fielder misses the wickets. Had the fielder hit the stumps, Smith was out. Handsome drive through the covers from Rahane for four.  RPS 38/1, 6 overs (Rahane 25, Smith 5)

10:21: Karn Sharma, hero of the last match, is coming to bowl his first over. He has to deliver with the ball, once again. He concedes two singles in the first two balls. The RPS batsmen are not finding it too difficult to score runs. Rahane plays the ball on the air, and it results in two bounce four.  RPS 32/1, 5 overs (Rahane 20, Smith 4)

10:17: Malinga to Rahane, who is timing the ball well. He flicks the Sri Lankan for a single. Smith, next, tucks the ball around the corner for a single. Krunal drops a lolly. Rahane gets another chance. That was as easy as it gets. Rohit is furious. RPS 23/1,  4 overs (Rahane 14, Smith 2)

10:13: Smith walks across his off stump and plays the ball on the leg side. Rahane is looking all class in the middle, as he stands tall to punch the ball on the left of cover. Three runs. Classy from Rahane. RPS 21/1, 3overs (Rahane 13, Smith 1)

10:10: Bumrah replaces Krunal. Rahane welcomes the pacer with a brilliant straight drive for three runs. WICKET. Bumrah strikes in the second ball, as he traps Tripathi leg before wicket. RPS 17/1

10:08: Mitchell Johnson from the other end, to Tripathi, who flicks the second ball for a single. Rahane just scampers for a quick leg-bye. Ball tailing in from Johnson, but Tripathy shows full face of the bat for a single. On the leg side from Johnson, and it clips the thigh pads for a four. RPS 14/0, 2 overs (Rahane 7, Tripathi 3)

10:03: First ball, dot. Rahane dabs the ball to get off the mark. Good running from the duo. Krunal has started well, four balls and one run only. Tripathi rocks back and plays a pull shot for one run. Rahane plays a classic backfoot punch for a boundary. RPS 6/0, 1 over (Rahane 5, Tripathi 1)

Here wo go now......Krunal to start for MI. Rahane and Tripathi are also there.

The start will be crucial for both teams in the second innings. If RPS start well, half the battle is won, but Mumbai Indians can make it interesting with some early wickets. 

9:45: RPS need 130 runs to win IPL 2017 title. See you for the second innings in some time. 

9:43: Dan Christian with the last over of the innings. Starts with a wide, and then follows with a dot. Krunal times the ball for a boundary. Pandya hits it straight down the ground for a six. This is Krunal at his best. Two balls to go and Johnson strikes it clean, but only one run. Krunal is out in the last ball of the innings, but he has helped MI score 129 runs, and give his bowlers something to bowl at. MI 129/8, 20 overs (Krunal 47, Johnson 13)

9:37: Unadkat starts his last over with a slow ball, just one run. He is bowling slower balls by the dozen, and MI batsmen are failing to read his deliveries. Four balls, and all of them have been slower balls. He is showing great maturity. Krunal finally reads it well to dispatch it for a six, and retains strike for the last over with a single in the last ball. MI 115/7, 19 overs (Krunal 36, Johnson 12)

9:33: Johnson goes for a biggie, and it looked like he had not middled the ball. But the left-hander does clear the fence, quite easily at last. Something to cheer for MI fans. Krunal takes a quick run, and completes their 100 runs in 17.4 overs. Stunning shot, square drive from Krunal for a boundary. MI 105/7, 18 overs (Krunal 28, Johnson 10)

9:29: Ball on Krunal's hips, and two important leg byes. Now on, every run is precious. Unadkat bowls a slow ball, Krunal had edged it, but it did not carry to Dhoni. Johnson glides the ball for a single. the seamer is mixing it well, and the batsmen in the middle are not able to read it. K Pandya ends the over with a couple, MI 92/7, 17 overs (Krunal 23, Johnson 3)

9:25: Krunal has looked good, though no one has supported him at the other end. Wickets are falling at regular intervals. Johnson slaps the ball, but Unadkat dives to make a good save inside the 30 yards circle, just a single. Krunal dabs the finall ball of the over for a single. Where have the boundaries gone? MI 86/7, 16 overs (Krunal 20, Johnson 2)

9:17: Mitchell Johnson in..how long can he be in? Golden question. It has to be said, MI have not been upto the mark. RPS have been stunning from ball 1. Just two runs from the over. MI 81/7, 15 overs (Krunal 16, Johnson 1)

9:14: Wicket. Things are falling apart for MI. Karn Sharma is run out for one run. He had edged the ball, but the slip fielder stopped and threw at the striker's end. Shardul runs him out as Karn is stranded in the middle of the pitch. MI 79/7

9:12: Karn Sharma at the middle. He can bat, but there is pressure on the left-hander. Three balls, three dots and Karn has not even made contact with the ball. Pressure shot from Karn, who pulls the ball for a single. Krunal is nearly run out.  MI 79/6, 14 overs (Krunal 15, Karn 1)

9:10: Dan Christian - Oh yes, he is also playing. His turn to take wickets? WICKET. Yes, he sends Hardik back to the dugout with his second ball, trapped leg before. MI 78/6

9:08: Shot of the day so far from Hardik, who plays an inside out shot for a lovely six. Next ball - full toss, and he hits it straight to the fielder. Krunal paddles the ball for a single. MI 76/5, 13 overs (Krunal 15, Hardik 8)

9:04: The Pandya brothers. What can they do? They need to score runs, without losing their wicket. The title is tilting towards RPS. Smith and co have been brilliant, and Mumbai have been poor. MI 66/5, 12 overs (Krunal 13, Hardik 0)

8:59: Pollard is in. He has to carry his bat through the innings. OH MY. He hits the first six of the innings from the first ball he faces. He is looking positive. WICKET. Tragedy strikes, second wicket of the over as Pollard is also gone, caught at long off. MI 65/5, 11 overs (Krunal 12)

8:56: WICKET: Rohit is gone. He pulls the short ball straight to the fielder in the deep, and that is a big loss for Mumbai Indians. Adam Zampa has taken the all-important wicket.

8:54: Washington with his third over. Can he send Rohit back? That would be such a huge wicket. And Rohit is not running well at all. Not judging well, I mean. Krunal plays an aerial shot, but that is in the gap, and the fielder in the deep throws a dive, but to no avail. Much-needed boundary. MI 56/3, 10 overs (Rohit 24, Krunal 10)

8:50: This has been outstanding from RPS. Nine overs and 50 runs only.

8:49: Krunal on strike to Zampa, who has started with two dot balls, and follows that with a wide. Krunal hits him straight down the ground for a single. My blog's most used words in the final so far - single and wickets. Story so far. MI 50/3, 9 overs (Rohit 23, Krunal 5)

8:44: Krunal Pandya walks in. But it is Rohit at the batting crease, takes a single. There is a mix up, and the throw is at the wrong end after the left-hander had played a wonderful shot. Krunal is looking good and busy. These two need to build MI innings. MI 46/3, 8 overs (Rohit 21, Krunal 3)

8:39: Rayudu is not middling the ball well, and he is uncomfortable. WICKET..Smith runs out Rayudu with a direct hit. MI 41/3

8:36: Adam Zampa on. Have the gates opened? Rayudu square cuts the ball for his first four. Same ball, same shot, but just two runs from the third ball. Rayudu goes for a slog weep, edges the ball for a single. Rayudu, another slog sweep. another single. MI 41/2, 7 overs (Rayudu 12, Rohit 21)

8:32: Lockie Ferguson in, and Rohit squeezes the ball towards the off-side for the first four of the match. Second four of the over, and Rohit just flicks the ball. It was in the air, but safe as it goes towards the long leg fence. Egde, and it goes for another four. FInally, some runs. That is the third boundary of the over, and Rohit shows his class with a wonderful on-the-up shot for the fourth over. First five overs 16 runs and Ferguson's one over goes for 16. MI 32/2, 6 overs (Rayudu 4, Rohit 20)

8:28: Shardul Thakur, first change, and Rayudu drives the bowler for a single, and Rohit flicks the ball towards the leg side for another single. Run-scoring has been difficult. It has been all singles so far in Hyderabad. No boundaries in the first five overs so far. INCREDIBLE. MI 16/2, 5 overs (Rayudu 4, Rohit 4)

8:23: Rohit is watchful, playing with a straight bat. He needs to play a captain's innings. Rayudu is on strike, and there is an appeal for stumping, and it is given not out by the third umpire. Sundar is bowing a tight line and length. No freebies. MI 11/2, 4 overs (Rayudu 2, Rohit 2)

8:17: Rohit walks onto bat. He opens his account with a single. MI 9/2, 3 overs (Rayudu 1, Rohit 1)

8:15: Ambati Rayudu has walked onto bat at number three. NO ROHIT......HMMMM.... Let us see how this works out for MI. He gets off the mark with a single, drop and run.

WICKET: Mumbai Indians are in trouble. Slow cutter from Unadkat, who takes a scorcher of a caught and bowled. Simmons is gone. MI 8/2.

8:11: WICKET. Parthiv is gone. Unadkat dislodges the left-hander, caught at mid-on. MI 7/1, 

8:10: Washington Sundar with the second over of the match. He does not concede much in the Powerplay. Can he maintain that in the final? First four balls and just one run. Good stuff from the offie, who concedes a couple as the cover fielder makes a good save.  MI 7/0, 2 overs (Simmons 3, Parthiv 4)

8:06: The first ball of the final is just outside the off stump from Unadkat, and Simmons lets the ball go. No carry from the second ball. The West Indian is quite tentative, first three balls dot, but a gentle tickle in the fourth ball for a single. Parthiv opens his account with a single as well. Simmons to short third man for another single. Good start from Unadkat. MI 3/0, 1 over (Simmons 2, Parthiv 1)

8 pm: RPS players are walking down the red carpet, Oscars like, followed by Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel. Here we go, and Matt Hayden seems to be more excited in the commentary box than anyone lese. NICE ENERGY already.

7:59: We are just a minute away from the final. Man, what a game awaits us. 

7:57: Looking at both the teams, and the playing surface, only one thing comes to my mind. Runs, runs and more runs. MI are batting first, and they have outstanding batsmen including Lendl Simmons, Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard. If these guys get going in the first innings, RPS will need the likes of Steve Smith and MS Dhoni to play big hands to stop MI from winning their third IPL title.

All in all, run feast on the cards. 

7:45: Here is the playing XI of both teams. UNCHANGED FROM LAST MATCH.

Rising Pune Supergiant: Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Tripathi, Steve Smith (C), Manoj Tiwary, MS Dhoni, Dan Christian, Washington Sundar, Lockie Ferguson, Shardul Thakur, Adam Zampa, Jaydev Unadkat.

Mumbai Indians: Parthiv Patel, Lendl Simmons, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma (C), Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Karn Sharma, Mitchell Johnson, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga.

7:35: Mumbai Indians have won the toss, and will bat first. Their plan, it seems, post a big first innings total, and apply pressure on RPS in the second innings. The pressure of a final can fail even the best of the best in the business. But hey, RPS have Dhoni, hero of late finishes --- so anything is possible.

7:25: What is IPL without its fans? Hmmmm.....NOTHING....It is the fans and their love for cricket, which has made it what it is today!

No wonder, IPL is always keen on fan engagement, and they have come up with another special emoji for the final. 

7: 12 pm: Mumbai Indians are aware what it takes to win the IPL. They have done that twice in the last ten seasons, but Rising Pune Supergiant, who joined the IPL tamasha last season, are new kids on the block, but have managed to reach the final. Mumbai will surely respect Pune. 

So will it be Mumbai Indians' hat-trick of titles or RPS maiden title? 

What a season we have had so far in IPL 2017, witnessed some thrilling finishes, brilliant individual performances, including hat-tricks, some heroes have been born and the list goes on. The competition is in its final sprint, which will decide the eventual champions of IPL 2017 when Rising Pune Supergiant and Mumbai Indians will be involved in a cracker of a contest in Hyderabad.

Welcome to the live blog coverage of International Business Times, India for the Maharashtra derby, and more importantly, IPL 2017 final. I, Ashim Sunam, will bring you all the action, those minute details from MS Dhoni's wits behind the wicket to everything that happens in front of the wicket.

The IPL 2017 will start in the next hour or so, till then get your popcorns ready for the entertainment factor should be top class.

Are you ready????