It will have become clear overnight whether Otago is the first New Zealand team to reach the semifinals of the Champions League twenty20 tournament.
The Volts were left sweating on the result of the Mumbai Indians' game against the Perth Scorchers played late last night after their remarkable run of 15 consecutive wins came to an end.
Otago suffered a four-wicket loss to the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur yesterday.
It was their first loss in the tournament but the Dunedin-based team was still well-placed to reach the semifinals.
Mumbai needed a large win to knock out the Volts. It was a complicated formula, and depended on how many runs Mumbai was chasing or defending.
If Mumbai batted first and posted anything in the region of 120 to 180, it would have needed to have won by about 48 runs.
If it batted second, and was chasing about 120, it would have needed to have won with 37 balls remaining. The balls remaining dropped to 32 if it was chasing about 180.
Regardless of whether Otago has secured a semifinal berth,
its efforts have certainly enhanced its standing in world cricket.
Its 15 consecutive wins is the second-longest winning streak in the history of twenty20 cricket.
Some of the players, too, have not done their prospects of securing a future Indian Premier League contract any harm.
Few in India would have known much about the skills of Otago all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, for example. He has certainly impressed, as have the likes of seamer Ian Butler and opener Neil Broom.
But every winning streak has to come to an end, eventually. Batting first, Otago slumped to 21 for four.
Seamer Rahul Shukla took three wickets in the fourth over of the game to shake the Volts' confidence. Among his victims was the Otago captain Brendon McCullum, trapped lbw for nought.
McCullum has had a lean run in the group stage and faced questions about his form in the post-match press conference.
''In the three games we've had so far, I think I've faced eight balls,'' McCullum said.
''You're going to struggle when you only get that much time in the middle. I hit the ball pretty well in the qualifying tournament but just struggled a little bit here. I guess anyone can get out early.
''Hopefully, if we get another opportunity, I can post a reasonable score for the team.''
The salvage job was left to Neesham and Ryan ten Doeschate. The pair added 53 for the fifth wicket before Neesham holed out for 32 from 25 deliveries.
Ten Doeschate could not cash in on his start, reaching 26 before he was trapped lbw.
Nathan McCullum (an undefeated 28 from 20 balls) and Butler (25 from 18) helped Otago get through to 139 for seven.
''[I'm] very proud of the boys' efforts to hang in there,'' McCullum said.
''To post 140 after the start that we had was a mark of a side that just keeps fighting.''
Rajasthan opener Ajinkya Rahane set a solid platform with 52 from 48 and Australian Brad Hodge provided the coup de grace with an undefeated 52 from 23 deliveries to seal the victory.
Neesham was the best of the Otago bowlers with three for 22 from four overs.
''[Neesham has] been outstanding. I'm sure we'll see more of him in the New Zealand shirt. Thoroughly delighted for him. Hopefully this is just the start.''
