JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – West Indies dasher Dwayne Smith played a small cameo while the big-hitting Kieron Pollard failed, as Mumbai Indians opened their Champions League Twenty20 campaign with an eight-wicket defeat to South African side Lions here yesterday.
Sent in at the New Wanderers Stadium, the Indian Premier League giants posted 157 for six off their 20 overs with Smith rattling off 26 from 19 balls at the top of the order.
Australian Mitchell Johnson top-scored with 30 but Pollard made just 11, as left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir finished with two for 31.
In reply, Lions were 37 for two in the seventh over until Neil McKenzie and Quinton de Kock stroked unbeaten half-centuries in an unbroken 121-run, third wicket stand, to see their side home with seven balls remaining.
McKenzie hammered 68 from 41 balls with 12 fours while de Kock smashed five fours and two sixes in 51 off 33 balls.
Smith had earlier given Mumbai a sizzling start, putting on 45 off 28 balls with Sachin Tendulkar (16) before falling lbw to fast bowler Chris Morris.
Pollard, one of the stars of West Indies’ recent World Twenty20 conquest in Sri Lanka, belted two fours in eight balls faced before being yorked by Tanvir in the 17th over.
