Openers lendl Simmons and Mike Hussey struck commanding fifties to hand Mumbai Indians a resounding 9-wicket win over Sri lankan outfit Southern Express and keep their team in the hunt for the main draw of the Champions league Twenty20, here on Sunday.
Chasing 162 for a win in the qualifying match, Mumbai rode a clinical 139-run opening stand between Simmons (76 not out) and Hussey (60 off 40 deliveries) to achieve their target in 16.2 overs.
The veteran Australian left-hander, hitting 5 fours and 3 sixes, and West Indian Simmons, his 51-ball knock laced with 11 fours and a six, combined like fire and ice to make batting look simple and the Express bowling attack look pedestrian.
Hussey's charge ended in the 15th over with leg-spinner Sachith Pathirana getting him caight at deep square leg. But lendl carried on and in a fitting end, skipper Kieron Pollard (20 no out) hit two powerful sixes to complete the formalities for Mumbai, who had lost their first qualifier against lahore lions.
Earlier put into bat, Southern Express rode Farveez Maharoof's 22-ball 41 to post 161 for 6 in 20 overs. Maharoof though was given a huge life by Shreyas Gopal, who dropped the all-rounder on 6, after spilling a sitter at long-off on Pragyan Ojha's bowling.
The lanky player made the most it as he hit 3 fours and 2 sixes and stitched a crucial 58-run sixth-wicket partnership with Angelo Perera (28) to give the visitors respectability after losing half their side for 90.
Mumbai new-ball bowlers, Harbhajan Singh (0-18) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-23) bowled a tight line to restrict the batsmen to just 27 runs in the powerplay overs. Bumrah drew first blood in the fourth over of the innings after scalping opener Kusal Perera, who got a top edge as Gopal caught a skier, for 8.
left-handed opener Danushka Gunathilaka then tried to do the grinding with new-man Yashodha lanka. The duo stitched a 27-run second-wicket partnership before Pollard (1-18) took matters in his own hands.
Medium-pacer Pollard's slower delivery sent lanka back in the pavilion after being caught by Ambati Rayudu for 9 in the eight over. The slide continued till Maharoof stepped to counter attack.
Brief Scores
Southern Express: 161 for six in 20 overs (Farveez Mahroof 41 not out, Danushka Gunathilaka 30; Kieron Pollard 1/18) lost to Mumbai Indians: 165 for 1 in 16.2 overs (lendl Simmons 76 not out, Mike Hussey 60; Sachith Pathirana 1-26).
Knights almost through
A clinical all-round display by the Northern Knights helped them crush lahore lions by a whopping 72 runs to all but ensure their entry into the main round of the Champions league T20 here on Sunday.
Put into bat under overcast conditions, twin half-centuries by skipper Daniel Flynn (53) and wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling (53) helped the New Zealand outfit's reach a respectable 170 for six in 20 overs.
A dismal performance with the bat saw lions being skittled out for 98 in 18 overs, which should seriously dent their chances of qualifying as the New Zealand outfit are all but sure of making it to the next round with two wins in two matches. Nine out of 10 lions batsmen dismissed failed to reach double figures.
Tim Southee (3/22 in 4 overs) and Trent Boult (2/12 in 4 overs) bowled a deadly opening spell of swing and seam bowling to decimate the top half within six overs of Powerplay with less than 20 runs on board.
There was no way that the lions would have made a comeback after such a deflating start to their innings as they succumbed to a crushing defeat.
It started in the second over when Southee bowled a full swing delivery on left-handed opener Nasir Jamshed's toes. The batsman could barely bring his bat down as the off-stump went cartwheeling. Controversial opener Ahmed Shehzad (2) then poked at a delivery from left-arm seamer Trent boult. The ball moved a shade after pitching as Shehzad fished at it giving Watling an easy catch behind the stumps.
Southee then made 16 for three when he dig one short as skipper Mohammed Hafeez (5) trying to give him the charge could only edge to Watling.
With Southee getting his second wicket, it was time for Boult to level scores with his new ball partner as he angled one across Umar Akmal (1), who got an inside edge onto the stumps to make it 17 for four.
The top half was back in the hut when Umar Siddiq was adjudged leg before by umpire Vineet Kulkarni when a Southee delivery swung in to hit him on the pads.
At 19 for five, with all the top-order batsman back in the pavilion, without a double digit score, the match was as good as over.
Brief scores
Northern Knights: 170/6 in 20 overs (Daniel Flynn 53, BJ Watling 53; Aizaz Cheema 3-35), beat lahore lions: 98 all out in 18 overs (Saad Naseem 58; Tim Southee 3-22) by 72 runs.