Openers Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris scripted a dramatic run-chase as South Australia inflicted a humiliating 5-wicket defeat on Mumbai Indians in a thrilling Champions League twenty20 match in Durban on Tuesday.

Skipper Klinger (50) and Harris (56) shared an 81-ball 112-run opening partnership to set the foundation for the successful runchase as South Australia reached the target with three balls to spare and inched closer to the semifinal berth.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians recovered from a shaky start to post a challenging 180 for seven, courtesy a solid batting display by Saurabh Tiwary (44), Ambati Rayudu (38) and Kieron Pollard (36).

Mumbai Indians paid the price for their sloppy fielding and pathetic bowling to succumb to their second defeat in as many matches and now stands on the brink of elimination.

Chasing 181 to win, South Australia made a watchful start and reached 27 for no loss in the first five overs, with Michael Kalinger and Daniel Harris hitting two and one boundary respectively.

Opener Harris (56), who was dropped twice — at seven by Sachin Tendulkar and at 18 by Tiwary — sent Ali Murtaza for a six over long-on in the sixth over before top edging one for a four at third man.

Kalinger also got into the act and sweeped one hard over square leg for a flat six as South Australia slowly and steadly cantered to 69 in first 10 overs.

Kalinger brought up two more sixes in the next over off Dwayne Bravo and Harris top-edged one for a boundary to frustrate the Mumbai Indians.

Harris hammered two more fours and a couple of sixes to take South Australia across the 100-mark.

But Murtaza brought MI back into the game, getting rid off Harris, who finally hold out to Duminy at extra cover.

An over later, Lasith Malinga dismissed the other opener Klinger, who had just reached his fifty.

Looking for a six, Klinger ended up giving a straight catch to Pollard at long-on boundary as Mumbai fought back, reducing South Australia to 116 for two in 14.3 overs.

Murtaza struck again in the next over, dismissing Graham Manou (12), who found Tiwary at deep backward square leg.

Daniel Christian then hammered a four at extra cover but Malinga struck in the last ball, when he had Callum Ferguson caught by Murtaza in the 17th over.

Needing 41 runs from 18 balls, Christian picked up a boundary between long-on and deep midwicket, while newman Cameron Borgas clubbed two more fours as Bravo bled 16 runs to swung the match in South Australia’s favour.

Zaheer Khan then removed Christian in the next over but Borgas blasted a four and a six to amass 14 runs to keep them in the hunt.

Needing 11 off the last over, Tom Cooper smashed a huge six over and a four of Harbhajan Singh to complete a much-deserving win at Kingsmead here.