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| Dwayne Smith |
Dwayne Smith had told RP Singh that he could win the match for Mumbai Indians if the paceman could manage to give him strike to face the last three balls.
Mumbai needed 15 off the final four balls when Singh got a single to give the strike back to Smith. And the big-hitting West Indian kept his words by hammering a six and two fours to help Mumbai register a thrilling two-wicket victory over title holders Chennai Super Kings. "I just backed myself. I know as long as I can watch the ball I can do it. I just asked RP [Singh] to give me the three balls that were left. I knew I could do it from there," Smith said after the match.
Smith, who smacked an unbeaten 24 off nine balls, got the Man-of-the-Match award. Smith also credited Sachin Tendulkar for giving him the confidence when he went to bat at no. 6. "He [Tendulkar] said the wicket was good. He told me to back myself and he was true. It paid off. It's a big win and we really deserved it as well. I will put it [this innings] up there as one of my best," he said.
Smith said he had done a similar feat for Barbados in a domestic competition. "I remember winning a game for Barbados. It went into the Super Over after we needed 12 to tie the game. I got two sixes off the last two balls," he said.
Smith said he was awaiting the call from an IPL franchise. "I actually thought that I was going to be here with one of the teams from the beginning, but that didn’t happen. But I am happy to be here now and win some games for Mumbai.”
"I was playing club cricket in Trinidad. I keep practising all the time. We have club cricket in Barbados too. So, I always keep playing," he added.
