Defending champions MumbaiIndians started their campaign on a disappointing note, losingto Lions by eight wickets, in their opening match of theChampions League Twenty20 here on Sunday.
The catalysts for Lions' victory were Neil McKenzie (68not out off 41 balls) and 19-year-old Quinton de Kock (51 notout off 33) as the duo helped the side chase the target of 158with seven balls to spare at the New Wanderers Stadium.
Mumbai posted 157 for six after being invited to bat andthen failed to find an answer for McKenzie and de Kock's jointassault that left them bruised and battered. For the record, Mumbai had lost to Lions in the secondedition of the event two years ago.
It could have been anybody's game till Dhawal Kulkarni andMumbai skipper Harbhajan Singh were taken to the cleaners inthe 16th and 17th over. While Kulkarni conceded 17 runs, Harbhajan was smashed for16 as Lions inched towords the target.
Kulkarni's three overs went for 37 while Harbhajan gaveaway 36 in his four. Pragyan Ojha was knocked for 19 in histwo. Lions lost their first wicket when Ambati Rayudu pulledoff a blinder at cover, holding on to Alviro Petersen'sfull-blooded shot off Lasith Malinga.
Bringing himself on in the seventh over, Harbhajan was onthe money straightaway as he got Ghulam Bodi to edge one tofirst slip where Rohit Sharma completed a good catch. At 37 for two in the seventh over, the prospect lookedgloomy for Lions. However, an unbeaten 121-run partnership forthe third wicket between de Kock and McKenzie sealed the matchin Lions' favour.
While de Kock was the more dominant of the two initially,the experienced Mckenzie, who got off the mark with a reverse-paddle four off Harbhajan, too played his part beforelaunching into a flurry of boundaries. The 50-partnership between the two was up in six overs andthey continued to torment the Mumbai bowlers till the task wasachieved.