Despite Sharma's fine innings the Indians looked to be heading to defeat when needing 18 from the final over in their pursuit of Deccan's 138-9.

Daniel Christian stepped up to bowl the final six balls but after James Franklin took seven off the first three Sharma stepped up and blazed 14 off three balls to milk 21 runs from a pulsating final over.

Franklin took six off the first two deliveries before sneaking a bye that brought his established partner Sharma on strike with 11 needed off three.

Sharma reduced that target to three off one with a six and a quickly-scampered two before he sealed a stunning victory by clubbing a Christian full toss over the boundary for his fifth maximum of the day.

Unbeaten

Sharma finished unbeaten on 73 off 50 balls to almost single-handedly lead his side's run chase, with Kieron Pollard, whose 24 included three sixes, and Ambati Rayudu (19) the only other Mumbai players to reach double figures.

Earlier, Deccan opener Shikhar Dhawan had helped his side recover from a poor start to post a reasonable total with a 24-ball 41, while Australian duo Christian (39) and Cameron White (30) also made decent contributions against an impressive Mumbai bowling attack.

Munaf Patel was the pick of the Mumbai bowlers, finishing with 4-20 off his four overs, while Lasith Malinga took 3-27 and Harbhajan Singh went for just 18 off his quota.

South Africa star paceman Dale Steyn was also outstanding with the ball for Deccan, taking 3-12 off four, and he looked to have put his side on the brink of victory after conceding just five off the penultimate over as well as taking the wicket of Dinesh Karthik.

However, his efforts proved in vain as Sharma and Franklin steered 2010 runners-up Mumbai to their second win in three IPL matches and left Deccan still searching for their opening triumph.