Chasing a formidable target of 175, Mumbai Indians’ openers, Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis offered a good start and provided the necessary platform to the team to chase the target. However, the partnership of 38 runs was shattered as Evin Lewis got out in the 6th over. On the other end, Yadav looked good with his strokes and scored a blazing fifty off just 34 deliveries.
At the end of 10 overs, Mumbai still needed 108 runs and the required run rate was soaring for them. And just after his fifty, Yadav succumbed to pressure and lost his wicket at a crucial stage in the match. Although Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya looked good with their shots, both of them lost their wickets soon after.
When hopes looked bleak for Mumbai, skipper Rohit Sharma played his shots well and kept, the scoreboard ticking, with the required run rate under control. Supporting his skipper, Kruunal Pandya too proved his worth. Both extracted 20 runs off the 18th over, leaving merely the need of 16 runs for the team, in the last two overs. Pandya and Rohit finished the game for Mumbai with an over to spare after building a partnership of 56 off just 21 balls.
Punjab bowlers, Mujeeb Ur Rahman picked up two wickets whereas Stoinis and Andrew Tye got one wicket each.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to field. Kings XI Punjab openers, Chris Gayle and Lokesh Rahul began on a great note and stitched together a decent 54-run stand. But Mumbai’s find of the season, Markande dismissed Rahul in the 7th over and broke the partnership.
But T20 boss, Chris Gayle continued hitting runs and brought his fifty in 39 deliveries. However, just after his half-century, Gayle was dismissed. Things looked shaky for Punjab as they were struggling at 96-3 in the 13th over. But a 36-run stand between Axar Patel and Karun Nair kept Punjab in the game and with the help of Marcus Stoinis’ cameo of 29 off 15 deliveries, Punjab posted a total of 174 runs after 20 overs.
Mumbai Indians bowler, Jasprit Bumrah finished with an impressive spell by scalping one wicket at an economy of 4.8. Whereas, Mitchell McCleneghan, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Markande and Ben Cutting got one wicket each but were generous in giving runs away.
With this win, Mumbai will wish to maintain this form and keep their hopes to reach the playoffs alive.
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