Yusuf Pathan struck the fastest century yet in the Indian Premier League but it was not enough as the Rajasthan Royals went down by four runs to the Mumbai Indians in a high-scoring thriller.

Batting first, the Indians raised a formidable 212 for six on their home ground, thanks in the main to blistering half-centuries from Ambati Rayudu (55) and Saurabh Tiwary (53).

Yusuf then hit 100 off only 37 deliveries and, aided by a fighting 41 from Paras Dogra, kept the Royals in contention.

But Shane Warne’s side eventually washed up at 208 for seven.

Sanath Jayasuriya (23) gave the Indians a cracking start, hammering Dimitri Mascarenhas for three boundaries in the first over and adding 38 in quick time for the opening wicket with Sachin Tendulkar (17).

Aditya Tare (23) also scored briskly and the home side managed a decent 69 for the loss of Jayasuriya’s wicket from the powerplay.

Mascarenhas, however, landed twin blows in the first over after the powerplay, removing both Tendulkar and Tare in the space of three deliveries, but Mumbai recovered magnificently through Rayudu and Tiwary’s partnership.

Rayudu unleashed a flurry of boundaries up front and the Royals attack was put to the sword once Tiwary found his feet.

The only downside for the Indians was a knee injury to Harbhajan Singh, sustained while batting, which kept him off the field for the rest of the match.

The Royals suffered early blows at the start of their chase and were all but out of contention when Rajagopal Sathish plucked a spectacular catch off his own bowling to remove Graeme Smith (26) in the seventh over.

At the halfway stage of the innings, the Royals were reeling at 69 for four, but Yusuf injected life into the Royals’ chase by clobbering left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza for three consecutive sixes and smashing Sathish for three fours and two sixes in the following over.

He raised his half-century off only 21 deliveries and needed only 16 more deliveries to reach his 100 – peppered with nine fours and eight sixes – but was run out immediately after.

Yusuf raised 107 for the fifth wicket with Dogra and it left the Royals needing only 19 from the last two overs, but Zaheer Khan conceded only seven in the 19th and Malinga snuffed out their chances by claiming two wickets and conceding only seven in the final over as the Royals fell agonisingly short.

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