Dwayne Smith smashed an unbeaten half century to help Mumbai Indians beat Highvels lions by seven wickets and keep their chances alive in the Champions league Twenty20 here on Friday.
Smith steered his side's chase with a 63-run unbeaten knock that came of just 47 balls with the help of four boundaries and three sixes as Mumbai overwhelmed the 140-run target in 18.3 overs overs.
Kieron Pollard also played an unbeaten 32-run cameo towards the end which was studded with two fours and three huge sixes sixes to help Mumbai's cause.
Earlier, Mumbai produced a fine bowling display to restrict the lions to a modest 140 for five.
Opting to bowl, Mumbai pacers utilised the seaming conditions of the Sawai Man Singh Stadium pitch before their spinners came to the party to stop lions from posting a formidable total.
Chasing the target, Mumbai suffered a big blow early losing the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar (5) in the third over.
Tendulkar was undone by a slower delivery from Sohail Tanvir as the ball went through his defence to crash onto the stumps.
Smith and Dinesh Karthik added 31 runs for the second wicket before the latter cut leg-spinner Imran Tahir straight to Petersen at backward point as Mumbai slumped to 47 for 2.
Smith was at his aggressive best as found boundaries with ease to notch up his fifty in just 33 balls.
Earlier, lions did not have the best of the starts losing both their openers inside the 50-runmark.
Rassie van der Dussen (13) was the first to depart as he mistimed a pull straight to Rishi Dhawan at square leg off Mitchell Johnson.
Mumbai's skipper Rohit introduced Pragyan Ojha in the ninth over and the left-arm spinner produced result immediately by disturbing the timbers of Jean Symes after the batsman clobbered the bowler for a six in the previous delivery.
Ojha struck again in his next over, picking up the wicket of Sohail Tanvir caught by Smith at the mid-wicket boundary.
Then came in lions skipper Alviro Petersen (35 not out) and together with Pretorious' (31 not out) company ressurected lions' innings with a 59-run sixth wicket stand.
Brief Scores
Hl: 140/5 (Alviro Petersen 35 no, Dwaine Pretorious 31 no; Pragyan Ojha 2/26) lose to MI: 141/3 in 18.3 overs (Dwayne Smith 63 not out, Kieron Pollard 32 not out; Sohail Tanvir 1/16) by 7 wickets.