Mumbai Indians protected the Nokia Champions League Twenty20 title with a 31-run victory over the Royal Challengers Bangalore. James Franklin, with 41 off 29 balls, top-scored for the Indians as they posted a apparently below-par total of 139 all out from their 20 overs, Raju Bhatkal claim three for 21 from three overs.
Tillakaratne Dilshan made a quickfire 27 in response but Bangalore danger man Chris Gayle failed to get out of first gear and the early notice of the pair were signs of things to come for the Royal Challengers, who stutter to 108 all out from 19.2 overs.
Harbhajan Singh took three for 20 for Mumbai, while Yuzvendra Chahal finished with figures of two for nine and Lasith Malinga two for 23. The Indians made a sloppy start after opting to bat first, Aiden Blizzard run out for three in the second over. He offended a full delivery through Dirk Nannes and set off, but Sarul Kanwar did not move and both openers found themselves at the non-striker's end as wicketkeeper Arun Karthik whips off the bails.
Nannes accounted for Kanwar for 13 soon after, thrashing the batsman for pace and dislodging two stumps. Ambati Rayudu made 22 from 21 balls before being dismissed by Bhatkal, Chris Gayle taking a fine catch at extra cover. Suryakumar Yadav and Franklin steered Mumbai past 100 before the 21-year-old Indian was run out support up by Daniel Vettori for 24.
Franklin moved on to 41 - thanks in part to huge sixes off Sreenath Aravind and Daniel Vettori - before he too was run out, the New Zealander attempt a second run after Kieron Pollard had flicked wide of mid-wicket.
Pollard and Harbhajan followed soon after in a productive 16th over for Bangalore, bowled by Vettori. The former was caught at long on by Virat Kohli for two and the latter dismiss leg before wicket playing across the line without troubling the scorers.
Sri Lanka paceman Malinga, batting at nine, plundered two sixes in his 11-ball innings to help boost Mumbai's total but deceased in the 19th over for 16, straight after Rajagopal Sathish (nine) had been caught at long on. Chahal fell for two to the last ball of the innings.
Bangalore made a steady enough start to their reply, with Dilshan roaring to 27 before Malinga uprooted his Sri Lanka captain's off stump in the fifth over. Gayle contribute just five before he too was sent innards in the following over. He became Harbhajan's first victim when he was trapped lbw for five by the India spinner.
The wickets sustained to tumble at regular intervals as Bangalore failed to build any real momentum. Mayank Agarwal (14) lofted a Chahal delivery to long off, where Pollard took the catch at the third attempt, and Harbhajan accounted for Kohli in the subsequent over when he had his countryman caught by Blizzard at deep mid-wicket for 11.