For the near capacity crowd, which turned up for the first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) final to be held in the city at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, it turned out to be a low-scoring encounter.

On what was a comparatively cool evening despite scorching heat in the day, Hyderabadis lapped up the opportunity to be right where the action was — 34,158 fans turned up for the match at the stadium — but the fireworks from the Mumbai Indians line-up were missing when it batted first.

Not surprisingly, the biggest cheers were reserved for the biggest cricketing icon from India, Sachin Tendulkar, who was seen in an animated discussion with Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma during the warm-up session before the final. And, Sachin was seen doing some ‘shadow batting’ too, even as the bowlers rolled over their arms. For someone who quit the sport long ago, it was an irresistible temptation to get a feel of the willow.

On the other side, the other biggest crowd-puller was unmistakably Mahendra Singh Dhoni. And, cheering the Rising Pune Supergiant outfit were ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ film star Sushant Singh Rajput and actor Kirti Sanon. The way the majority of fans cheered every time Pune struck, it was obvious they were longing for the Steve Smith-led team to win, with the focal point being Dhoni.

Before the start, cricketers-turned-commentators, including Sunil Gavaskar, Matthew Hayden, Ravi Shastri, and Kevin Pietersen, dressed up in colourful Indian attire.

The sight of the likes of Sachin and Dhoni exchanging pleasantries with the ground staff, headed by Y.L. Chandrasekhar and Mukesh Kumar, was a reminder of their simplicity.

Tribute paid

Far away from the action, Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president G. Vivekanand and secretary T. Seshnarayan paid tribute to former BCCI vice-president M. Ranga Reddy (who was also secretary and president of the HCA) by naming the HCA members’ enclosure after him. Former HCA secretary D.S. Chalapathi said many contemporary officials owe their presence to the way Mr. Reddy supported them in their formative years.

Though the match had a low-key start, it had a nail-biting finish. And despite the fact that there were no fireworks from the willow, at the end of the final the sky was dotted with some fantastic colours and patterns.</s>The Pune franchise in the Indian Premier League have always been associated with a bunch of underperforming stars and a team that looked as if it was there just to make up the numbers.

Sahara Pune Warriors were abysmal in their three-year stint in the IPL whereas the Rising Pune Supergiant also didn't ruffle any feathers last season. So naturally, at the beginning of this edition of India's premier cricketing extravaganza, no one would have given the newly assembled squad any chance to fight for the trophy on May 21.

Pune have come a long way in this competition as Steve Smith and co. bulldozed their way into the top two after a stuttering start to the campaign. An exciting contest is on the cards with Pune qualifying for the finals straight from qualifier 1 whereas Mumbai had to take the hard route and come through from the eliminator and the second qualifier.

Also read: IPL 2017 Final, RPS vs MI Match Prediction: Who will win today's match between Rising Pune Supergiant and Mumbai Indians

Without further ado, let's delve right into the reasons as to why Rising Pune Supergiant will win this year's Indian Premier League and script a success story like the Leicester Citys and Aizawl FCs of the world:

#1 Captain Smith leading right from the front

It is always said that a captain is as good as his team. Both the captains for tomorrow are considered as two of the best current players in the world but this has been a campaign where Steve Smith has gone on to rectify his mistakes in his batting in his IPL career and build a probable title winning squad whereas Sharma has struggled throughout the season with the bat.

This is a reason which gives Pune a slight edge over their rivals as Smith has been easily in better form than his counterpart in the games until now. Smith has scored 421 runs in this IPL and is the tournament's fifth highest run getter.

Sharma, on the other hand, reached the 300 run mark last night with his struggles against the leg spinners being well documented. Smith will be the confident man going into tomorrow's game while Sharma will be hoping to come good on the biggest stage.

#2 Head to Head record this season shifts it in Pune's favour

Tonight will be a record fourth match between these two Maharashtra sides this season as the battle for supremacy now reaches a stage where the matter of the bragging rights has increased from being just a state affair to now for the entire country.

Pune have held all the aces till now, and winning all the three matches will give them a sense of confidence going into the grand finale.

The first win came in Pune where Smith's 84 helped RPS to chase down a stiff target of 185. The game at Wankhede was won by Pune's superlative performance on the field as Mumbai failed to chase 161.

The two teams met again in the first qualifier where Mumbai's steady batting lineup collapsed under pressure to hand Pune an easy passage to the finals. The Indians might be suffering from a psychological point of view against their rivals this season which might continue to haunt them in their bid for a third IPL title.

#3 Statistically, RPS have the best bowling unit this season

The Supergiant's started miserably with the ball this year but their win against RCB at the Chinnaswamy while bowling second changed their fortunes in the bowling department. Pune currently concede less than an over on average with the total average of all the teams combined being 8.41. RPS concede at a rate of 7.36 during the power play, 7.12 during the overs 8-15 and at a rate of 8.01 during the final five. It is their middle over bowling which sets them apart from Mumbai Indians. They have been the best outfit in containing sides between overs 8 to 15 and have also picked up 40 wickets in that phase. In the three games against Mumbai, Pune let MI score at just a rate of 7.5 in the middle overs which set them on course for a brilliant end to their bowling courtesy of the good form of Jaydev Unadkat. Pune's strength has become their bowling this season and with the side already picking up 100 wickets. It will be their varied attack which will help them to bring the cup home. #4 The tag of being the underdogs Mumbai Indians have been the bookmakers' favourites for the competition since the beginning of the IPL season 10 and have established their reputation as being a knockout phase royalty. Naturally, all the pressure will be on the Indians who will take centre stage against a side with absolutely no experience of playing at this stage. This actually might favour the Rising Pune Supergiant in Hyderabad. Cricket is a game where the mental aspect is always considered at par with the physical demands - as is the case in any sport. Mumbai have succumbed under pressure this season and might flounder when it matters the most. It can be a blessing for Steve Smith and his men who have proved their mettle this season with this team capable of beating any side on their day. Pune might not be as complete as Mumbai this season but their fearlessness and freshness during the final might take Mumbai by surprise to give us new IPL winners. The man doesn't need much introduction and it is his presence which will guide the Supergiant to the finishing line. He has a point to prove this season as since being stripped of his captaincy and being at the centre stage of the unnecessary controversy of the RPS owner against him, Dhoni needs this trophy to silence one and all by winning the coveted accolade and adding to his already awe-inspiring trophy cabinet. MS has not been able to bat as well as he would have loved to do but he still has won games this season for RPS and has been of immense help to Smith. His man management of the younger lot is paying dividends and as always his glove work has been on point. Dhoni has a chance to go into the history books as well with a win tomorrow placing him as the only player to win seven T20 final wins for club and country.</s>The tenth season of the Indian Premier League is into its business end as the two-times IPL champions Mumbai Indians are all set to meet Rising Pune Supergiant in the final on May 21. The Steve Smith-led side will have the momentum with them as they come in with a 20-run victory over the same opponents. While Mumbai, who are chasing their third IPL title, will feel the heat as they are yet to register a win against RPS in the on-going season. With opener Ajinkya Rahane and MS Dhoni back among the runs, the Supergiant will be confident of taking charge against the Rohit Sharma’s tight bowling attack.

Both the teams have a well-balanced squad now, however, the absence of all-rounder Ben Stokes and spinner Imran Tahir could hurt RPS. Meanwhile, Mumbai will look to restrict Pune’s deep batting order with their pace attack having Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Johnson, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.

Meanwhile, the crowd present in Rajiv Gandhi Stadium will be hoping of some fireworks after the eliminator match and the second qualifier witnessed low-scoring games in Bangalore.

When is the IPL Final between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant?

The final of IPL 2017 will be played on May 21, 2017, on Sunday.

What time is the IPL Final between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant?

The IPL Final between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant begins at 8 PM IST (14.30 GMT). The coverage begins at 7 PM with the toss at 7.30 PM.

Which TV channels will do the live broadcast of IPL Qualifier 2 between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant?

The IPL Final between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant will be broadcasted on Sony Network. The HD versions of these channels will also broadcast the match.

How do I watch online live streaming of IPL Qualifier 2 between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders?

You can watch the live streaming on of IPL Qualifier 2 between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant on SonyLiv. You can also follow scores and commentary on Indianexpress.com

For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App now</s>beat Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in the tenth edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) to grab their third title on Sunday. Pune lost the match by 1 run. 

 

 The nail-bitting match stretched till the last ball as Mitchell Johnson took two wickets in the penultimate over. Pune captain Steven Smith hit 51 off 50 balls. However, he also played an irrersponsive shot and was caught by Ambati Rayudu in the third ball of the last over.

Earlier in the day, Pune restricted to 129 for eight in 20 overs. Pune bowlers made the Mumbai top- and middle-order batsmen struggle as they were left reeling at 79/7 in the 15th over.

Krunal Pandya's 47 and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma's 24 helped the team put a total of 129 on the board.



 As Pune started chasing the total cautiously, the Mumbai Indian bowlers put up a brilliant show. Jasprit Bumrah took MS Dhoni's wicket in the seventeenth over which turned the match for his team. 

 

 Pune needed 11 runs from six balls to win the match. The experienced Johnson left the Pune batsmen struggling as he took Manoj Tiwary's wicket in the second ball and knocked off Smith in the next. Pune scored 128/6 in 20 overs.</s>Preview by Kaushik Rangarajan



Mumbai Indians will play another IPL final. In fact, their third in five years and fourth overall. They already have the most match wins in the competition's history (90) but if that's no metric to settle the team-of-the-decade debate, will an unprecedented third title do? They didn't wade through the league phase as much as sashayed past it, taking down teams with ridiculous efficiency. They were pencilled in for the final mid-way through the tournament and did wonderfully well to get there. Except, they joined the Hyderabad party a little belatedly as opposed to the more commonly anticipated narrative of them getting in early and welcoming their opponents.



Rising Pune Supergiant's story is known. A new captain, a sense of hurt from last year and a desire for redemption. Their equation with their neighbours is also little-brotherly, what with the splurging of the millions and a craving for the flavour of the season (Ben Stokes). But, unlike their Sunday opponents, they've often traded flair for discipline - a quality that has helped them trip Mumbai up thrice this season.



Yet none of those games had a comparable context. Mumbai hadn't kicked into gear when Smith sucker-punched them in a chase. Rohit Sharma couldn't quite return the favour in the reverse fixture, as Mumbai's six-game winning streak ended with a three-run defeat at the Wankhede. Then in the first qualifier, Mumbai's surface changed nature and Pune adapted quicker to sneak in another blow.



What those contests have established is that Pune bowl well, particularly against Mumbai, against whom they've taken 25 wickets and conceded only two half-centuries in these three games. Jaydev Unadkat (22 wickets at an economy of 7.24) has been their unlikely bowling hero of the season. He will once again be key to their chances in the final and will have particularly happy memories to tap into in Hyderabad, having taken a five-fer (including a hat-trick) on his last visit. He will, however, need all the support he can get from Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar & Co. if Pune are to rein in Mumbai again.



They won't bat as deep as Mumbai do, so Rahul Tripathi, Ajinkya Rahane and Smith will need to shore up the top-order, leaving MS Dhoni with as little rebuilding work to do as possible. Mumbai know all about this collective ingenuity. It's a rare virtue in T20 cricket - but one that has been the hallmark of their 2017 season.



The nightmare of 2016 has turned into a dream 2017 for Pune. The handicap caused due to the absence of frontman Stokes notwithstanding, they can dare to dream about glory. They've had three extra days than Mumbai to play the game in their heads, which may not always be a good thing. But if they perform like they have this season, they'll be more than a match. Whether they can in their first (and possibly the only) final, against opponents seasoned to such pressure, is the question.



When: Rising Pune Supergiant vs Mumbai Indians, Final, May 21, 2017 - 20:00 IST



Where: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad



What to expect: The RGI Stadium has played host to two different pitches. David Warner got to a 43-ball hundred by the 11th over against KKR. Mumbai Indians, who played the last game there, were done in by a two-paced version of the wicket and mustered only 138 in their 20 overs. That game was 12 days ago and the curators are confident that the pitch has had enough 'rest period' to play true once more. Meanwhile, there is no threat of rain either with temperatures expected to hover in the low thirties for the clash.



History: Sunday's final will be the sixth meeting between the sides in two seasons. Supergiant hold a 4-1 advantage, having won each of their three encounters - including the first qualifier - this season.



Team News:



Rising Pune Supergiant



Pune are unlikely to enforce any changes to the side that beat Mumbai in the first qualifier. Ajinkya Rahane's return to form form will have pleased the franchise as much as Sundar's heroics with the ball. The team will also look up to captain Smith to lead from the front with the bat while MS Dhoni's six IPL final appearances should give the relatively inexperienced side the much-needed reassurance in a big game environment.



Probable XI: Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Tripathi, Steve Smith (c), Manoj Tiwary, MS Dhoni (wk), Daniel Christian, Lockie Ferguson, Washington Sundar, Adam Zampa, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur



Mumbai Indians



Krunal Pandya appeared to suffer a bout of cramps during his innings against KKR in the second qualifier. But Rohit reckoned that he looked okay to play the final. But such is the depth in the Mumbai squad, that they can choose to replace him (if needed) with an additional batting option in Nitish Rana or pick the bowling experience of Harbhajan Singh. Krunal's ability to spin the ball away from the right-handers will be particularly handy against Pune, whose top-six feature no southpaws. Mitchell McClenaghan, who faces a late fitness test for a leg injury, may force Rohit to once again field two under-cooked seamers in Lasith Malinga and Mitchell Johnson. But their taste for a big stage should more than make up for their apparent loss of ability.



Probable XI: Parthiv Patel (wk), Lendl Simmons, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma (c), Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Karn Sharma, Mitchell Johnson/Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga



Did you know?



-> This is the fifth instance of the top two ranked teams from the league table locking horns in an IPL final. In all the previous instances, the team ranked second went on to win.



-> RPS is the only visiting team to win a match in Hyderabad this season in IPL.



-> A boundary is scored off every 6.40 balls in IPL games in Hyderabad this season



-> RPS is the only team to take 100+ wickets this IPL and also possesses the best average (21.97) and economy rate (7.93) among teams. MI are right behind with 99 wickets at 25.36 and conceding at 8.08 per over.



What they said:



"He's one of the more successful players in the last decade. Another opportunity to win the IPL. I know he's up for it. He's been good this year with cameos. He's been criticised but you have to appreciate how he has done it time and time again."



- Stephen Fleming is hopeful of a strong show from MS Dhoni in the final



"It's important that all of us are playing cricket that we expected to play. As a captain, it's my duty and responsibility to make sure we do that and don't get too excited. We have to focus on the job at hand"



- Rohit Sharma is unwilling to let the prospect of a third title deter the processes that go into building up for the big game.</s>HYDERABAD, India — Mumbai Indians won their third Indian Premier League title after defeating Rising Pune Supergiant by just one run in a cliffhanger final which went to the last ball on Sunday.

Needing seven runs off the last five deliveries, Australian seamer Mitchell Johnson dismissed Manoj Tiwary and Steve Smith off successive deliveries.

Dan Christian was run out off the last ball as Supergiant was restricted to 128-6.

Earlier, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, Mumbai Indians scored 129-8, thanks to Krunal Pandya's 47 off 38 balls.</s>Catch all the live action of the IPL 2017 final between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant through our live blog.

Two-time IPL Champions Mumbai Indians take on Rising Pune Supergiant in the high-voltage final at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.

Billed as a 'Maharashtra Derby', the summit clash is set to be a bit more than an inter-city battle with huge reputations of big stars at stake.

Even on paper, there is not much to choose, especially with Pune beating MI thrice this season including a comprehensive victory in Qualifier 1.</s>Hyderabad, May 21: Mumbai Indians have won the toss and elected to bat against Rising Pune Supergiant in the Grand Finale of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 here on Sunday (May 21).

Both the teams are playing the same side which played in their previous matches in the Qualifiers.

Mumbai Indians are playing in their fourth IPL final while it is maiden, and perhaps the only final for RPS - who were floated for only two IPL seasons.

Billed as a "Maharashtra Derby", the summit clash is set to be a bit more than an inter-city battle with huge reputations of big stars at stake.

Pune might have beaten MI thrice this season including a comprehensive victory in Qualifier 1. But final is a new day and MI can always be fourth time lucky.

Mumbai's performance has been very good so far for they have won two out three finals in the IPL.</s>Jos Buttler, who missed the Indian Premier League final due to his international duty could not control his emotions after his team beat Rising Pune Supergiants by 1 run in a thrilling encounter.

Mumbai Indians’ player Jos Buttler, who missed the Indian Premier League final due to his international duty could not control his emotions after his team beat Rising Pune Supergiants by 1 run in a thrilling encounter.

Following the match on TV, Buttler was ecstatic after his team third IP title and unknowingly almost dropped his towel but was quick to realise and kept hold of the piece of cloth.

Mumbai Indians held their nerves to beat Rising Pune Supergiant by 1 run in a nail-biting final to win their third Indian Premier League title at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Defending a modest total of 129 runs – Mumbai bowlers were exceptional as they restricted Steven Smith and Co to 128/6.

Pune needed 11 off the last over to win until Mitchell Johnson found himself on a hat-trick after dismissing Manoj Tiwary and Steven Smith of the second and third ball of the over after being smashed to the boundary of the first ball of the over.

Supergiant then needed four runs to win off the last ball. Australian all-rounder Dan Christian managed to get the ball away on the leg side, but the throw from the deep was accurate enough for Parthiv Patel to break the stumps before Washington Sundar could come back for a third run, which would have led to a super over.</s>
• Rising Pune Supergiant: beat Mumbai by 20 runs; beat Kings XI by 9 wickets; lost to Daredevils by 7 runs.
• Mumbai Indians: beat KKR by six wickets; lost to Rising Pune by 20 runs; beat KKR by 9 runs.

Overall: It's 4-1 to Rising Pune Supergiant. Mumbai Indians' most recent win against their opponents in the final came last year.

This season: Rising Pune won home and away in the league stage, and then shocked Mumbai again at the Wankhede in the first qualifier.

It's groundhog day in the IPL, and Mumbai have gone to great lengths to make it happen. Now all they have to do is figure out a way to end the loop and get the girl. But if not that, then at least the trophy.

Who will win the IPL title?

Twice in the league, and again in the first qualifier earlier this week, Rohit Sharma and his men have come up against Rising Pune, done everything they can, only to wake up and see its still February 2. Bill Murray's character - spoiler alert - eventually escaped his fate by accepting his curse. While that makes rom-com fans go "aww", those that frequent the Wankhede would go "&^%$*". Mumbai are two-time champions. Rising Pune won't even exist in the IPL after Sunday. They want a win before this rivalry ends.

Krunal Pandya was seen receiving treatment to his groin during the second qualifier but Rohit has said he should be okay to play. Mitchell McClenaghan, who did not play that game, will be assessed on the morning of the final in Hyderabad.

There are statistics to suggest the legspinner Karn Sharma, Mumbai's unexpected trump card, and left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya, should be saved for the Rising Pune middle order. They have been hit for 20 runs off nine balls by Rahul Tripathi and 25 runs off 13 balls by Steven Smith. But they have managed five dots in nine balls to MS Dhoni and 11 dots in 22 balls to Manoj Tiwary, at an economy rate of six or less.
• Rising Pune have kept a lid on Mumbai's power players. Rohit and Kieron Pollard average 20.66 and 14.33 against them this season.
• In three matches, Rising Pune have only allowed Mumbai to hit 23 sixes and 35 fours. In comparison, Mumbai thrashed 29 sixes against Kings XI after only two meetings, and 47 fours after three rounds against Knight Riders.
• One of Rising Pune's biggest strengths is their ability to strangle teams in the middle overs. They have taken the most wickets - 41 - established the lowest run-rate - 7.16 - and accumulated the most dots - 321 - between overs seven and 15 this IPL.
• Mumbai, with 10, have the record for the most fifty-plus scores from the middle order in 2017. But only one of them has come against Rising Pune. Rohit's batsmen from No. 3 to No. 7 average only 13.86 and strike at 113 against Smith's bowlers.
• Dhoni, who will be playing his seventh final in ten IPLs, averages 64.66 and strikes at 161.66 against Mumbai in IPL playoff and knockout matches.
• Among those who have bowled at least six overs against Mumbai in this IPL, offspinner Washington Sundar's economy-rate of 5.25 is the second best, behind Rashid Khan's 5.12.
• Ajinkya Rahane has struggled all season, but he has contributed two of the four fifties Rising Pune have against Mumbai. No other team has managed more than two 50-plus scores against Mumbai.
• These statistics indicate how Rising Pune have kept the head-to-head in their favour so far, but Mumbai are big-match specialists. Lendl Simmons had three successive fifties in IPL play-off and knockout games before this year.
• Jasprit Bumrah has bowled more deliveries (152) in the last five overs than anyone else, and was resplendent when he bowled the first Super Over of his career earlier this season. He will go into the final on the high of recording his best figures in T20s - 3-1-7-3 - in the second qualifier against KKR on Friday.
• Pollard has faced 273 balls in the 2017 season - his second-highest tally in 10 IPLs. Nine more and he'll eclipse his personal best. But here's the kicker: Mumbai have won the title in two out of three previous seasons that he has batted more than 200 balls.
• In 12 innings this season, Krunal has conceded runs at only 6.72 per over. Here are the strike-rates of batsmen who have faced at least 10 balls from him. Tiwary (83), Manish Pandey (117), AB de Villiers (118), Hashim Amla (133), Rahane (135) and Suryakumar Yadav (161).
In cricket, Mumbai Indians win the Indian Premier League, defeating Rising Pune Supergiant by one run in the final.