23 September,2013 12:44 AM IST | | Agencies
The defending IPL champions were outsmarted by a buoyant Royals outfit, going down by a comprehensive seven wickets in Jaipur. But such is the format of the tournament that they just can't sit and brood over the defeat.
Skipper Rohit Sharma needs to lead from the front against Otago today
Otago impressed immensely in the qualifiers by winning all three its matches to finish atop the standings. En route the main draw, Otago defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves and Sri Lankan outfit Kandurata Maroons.
The experienced McCullum brothers - Brendon and Nathan - have played key roles in the team's success so far. While skipper and batting mainstay Brendon has shone with the bat, Nathan has turned in decent bowling performances to help the team's cause. In contrast, Mumbai could not have hoped for a worse start as they lost to Rajasthan despite being a star-studded outfit.
Veteran Sachin Tendulkar, playing his last tournament for the Mumbai Indians, showed some spark with a 15-run cameo, which included three fours. But Mumbai would need more than that from the star batsman.u00a0
