Bangalore, Sep 30: Mumbai Indians were left to rue their luck as heavy rains forced their Champions League Twenty20 match against Cape Cobras to be abandoned here today, hampering the home side's chances of advancing to the semifinals.
Asked to bat first after the coin landed in the Cobras' favour, Kieron Pollard (58 off 37 balls) and debutant Sarul Kanwar (45 off 21) powered Mumbai to a daunting 176 for five before rain intervened at the break.
What seemed like a steady drizzle soon transformed into heavy downpour, making the turf at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium unplayable.
As there was no let-up in rain, the umpires were left with no option but to call off the group A tie at 11.05 pm, 35 minutes before the cut-off time.
The first abandoned match in the history of Champions League T20 ensured both teams settle for a point each.
Mumbai still lead the table with five points but their hopes of progressing to last-four stage now rests on their next match, a must-win one for the Harbhajan Singh-led side.
Cobras have three points after three games while Chennai Super Kings and New South Wales have two each.
Earlier, Pollard smashed a blistering half-century while Kanwar played a cameo at the top to help Mumbai to a position of strength.
Pollard, who struck three sixes and six fours, was well supported by James Fraklin (18), who was involved in a 69-run fourth-wicket partnership with the West Indian. PTI
