Rohit Sharma plays a sweep-shot

Rohit Sharma held the nerves in the final moments to secure a nail-biting five-wicket victory for Mumbai Indians

against Deccan Chargers in the ninth game of Indian Premier League Twenty20 at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Mumbai were needed 18 off the last over, bowled by Daniel Christian, to chase down the 139-run target but dauntless Sharma (73 off 50 balls) and James Franklin (7 not out) plundered 22 runs off his over to help Mumbai record their second victory in three matches in the competition.

Sharma belted Christian a monster six of the final ball of innings to seal the victory.

Sharma’s swashbuckling vigil, which was studded with five sixes and four boundaries, undid the effort of catastrophic Deccan pacer Dale Steyn, who recorded the devastating figures of 3-12.

Deccan Chargers VS Mumbai Indians: Steyn dismissed openers early

Steyn daunted the visitors’ early blows and scalped openers Richard Levi and Thiru Suman early before Sharma and Ambati Rayudu (19 off 24) steadied the innings with a cautious 48-run stand.

After Rayudu’s perishing off spinner Amit Mishra in 12^th over, West Indies hard-hitter Kieron Pollard clubbed 24 off 18 balls to consolidate the foundations of a tense finish.

Earlier, Mumbai pacer Munaf Patel claimed four wickets for 26 runs to restrict the hosts to an uncompetitive 138-9.

Pace spearhead Lasith Malinga bagged three and Pollard took two wickets.

Deccan Chargers VS Mumbai Indians: Dhawan scored 41 off 24 balls

Shikhar Dhawan was the top-scorer for with 41 off just 24 balls. Daniel Christian and Cameron White made inevitable contributions of 39 and 30 runs respectively.

Elected to bat, Deccan got off to a worst start and lost Parthiv Patel and Bharat Chipli for just nine runs before Dhawan and Christian resurrected the innings with a blistering 35-run stand.

Dhawan, who hit four sixes and two boundaries in his quick-fire knock, fell to Malinga while Christian perished to Munaf.

Reaching 5-178 in 18^th over, Deccan lost the next four wickets in the two overs.

Deccan Chargers VS Mumbai Indians Scorecard