Mumbai, May 16: If Sachin won’t, Sanath will. Mumbai went silent for a minute as hometown hero Sachin Tendulkar walked back within four minutes of his arrival at the crease. The master blaster’s duck was the only glitch in Mumbai Indians’ perfect finish, as they crushed Kolkata Knight Riders to register a thrilling eight-wicket win at the Wankhede here on Friday.

If T20 is the shortest version of the game, the day’s match can be labeled a movie trailor. Action-packed, high on drama, it was an instant thrill for the cricket-crazy public of Mumbai. The opponents were overpowered in 5.3 overs, the home team making a mockery of the meager target of 67.

Sanath Jayasuriya was in blistering form once again. If the Sri Lankan’s 114 not out against the Chennai Super Kings a day before was a purist’s delight, his quickfire, unbeaten 48 (17 balls, 6x4, 3x6) on the day were enough to put the best of bowlers to shame. The Sri Lankan toyed with the pace of Shoaib Akhtar and Ishant Sharma, who had identical figures of 1/29 at the end of the minuscule innings.

The Matera Marauder batted effortlessly and the silken touch was there for all to see. His two magnificent sixes off Akhtar in the third over were a delight as Shoaib conceded 23 runs.

The Marauder finished the only way he knew, hitting two fours and a six in Ishant Sharma’s second over to bring up the Indians’ fifth win in a row.

Earlier, Shaun Pollock, Dwayne Bravo and Domnic Thornely wreaked havoc to leave the Knight Riders in shambles. Coming after a stupendous win against the Delhi Daredevils, the visitors cut out a sorry figure as they fell to the lowest score that the league has seen so far. Sticking to a good line and length, the Pollock-Bravo duo induced deadly blows right from the word go. The Knight Riders folded up for 67 in 15.2 overs.

Not the best of batting sides, the Knight Riders were exposed on a wicket that assisted seam movement.

The batsmen failed to apply themselves and departed as soon as they came, evoking huge cheers from the home crowd who celebrated each wicket. The usually chirpy Shah Rukh Khan, Knight Riders’ team owner, also settled down after a while.

For Kolkata, skipper Sourav Ganguly (15, 20 balls, 2x4) spent the maximum time (5o minutes) in the middle. Ironically, the skipper did not have much to show when he departed in the 15th over, Bravo’s offcutter bringing an end to his sluggish innings.

The rout started when Pakistan opener Salman Butt — who hit the only six of the Kolkatan innings — misjudged a full length delivery from Pollock. At slip, Tendulkar made no mistake scalping the first wicket for the team.

There was further agony in store as Aakash Chopra ran himself out on the very next ball going for a non-existent single.

Pollock, in particular, was unplayable. The South African exuded class to finish with figures of 3/12. He accounted for the prized scalps of Butt, dangerman David Hussey and Mohammad Hafeez.

First-change bowler Bravo was the perfect foil for the South African. Introduced in the sixth over, he cleaned up Wriddhiman Saha, in the only maiden over of the game.