Chasing Mumbai Champs’ modest total of 115 for 4 in the allotted 20 overs, Abbas Ali came in when Giants were in early trouble too after having lost Mohnish Mishra and skipper Marvan Atapattu, who was run out in the third over trying a non-existent second run after getting a life on the previous ball after Nathan Astle dropped him at covers.

Abbas took a liking for West Indian Tino Best’s pace to plunder 16 from his second over and then helped himself to share a 41-run stand with Avishka Gunawardne for the third wicket. Gunawardene’s dismissal in the ninth over slowed the things a little bit, and when Abhinav Bali dismissed Michael Kasprowicz in the tenth over, Delhi were tottering at 55 for 4. Then Abbas and Nic Pothas set about getting them back on the road with a 61-run partnership to win with ten balls left.

Earlier, young Ali Murtaza had a good day with the ball, picking up two wickets for 16 in his quota of four overs to restrict Mumbai Champs to 115 for 4. Foremost in the attack was Shane Bond for Delhi Giants but Champs’ openers Saman Jayantha and Dheeraj Jadhav braved through the first six overs, conjuring up 41 runs for the first wicket before the collapse. It was left to skipper Astle, who managed two towering sixes in his 32 to bring Champs with a fighting chance in the game.

Brief scores: Mumbai Champs : 115 for 4 in 20 overs (N Astle 32, D Yadav 27, A Murtaza 2/16); Delhi Giants : S Abbass Ali 64 n o, N Pothas 18 n o)