The Punjab Kings innings were going nowhere. After 14 turnovers, they were 105 for 4 with Harpreet Singh Bhatia 15 for 16 and Sam Curran 8 for 12. But in their next six overs, they ransacked 109. Bhatia shot 41 for 28, Curran 55 for 29 and Jitesh Sharma 25 in just seven overs. That brings the Kings’ eight points to a daunting 214 points.
In response, Mumbai Indians were always in the game thanks to Rohit Sharma’s 27-ball 44 and Cameron Green’s 43-ball 67. Suryakumar Yadav then threatened to take the game away from the Kings with his fiery half century. That’s when Arshdeep Singh stepped forward. He dismissed Suryakumar in the 18th over and then needed 16 off six balls, conceding just two while back-to-back deliveries broke the middle stumps of Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera.
A 13-game winning streak gives the Kings eight points in seven games, good for fifth. In fact, the top five teams each have 8 points, just the difference in net runs.
Rohit and Green put Mumbai on track
Arshdeep sent Ishan Kishan back in the second leg of the chase, beating Mumbai early, before his death-defying heroics. Instead of holding back, Rohit and Green regularly search for boundaries. They hit five fours and three sixes in a power play that took Mumbai to 54-1 after six overs. The duo added 76 off 50 balls before Rohit fed a return ball to Liam Livingstone in the tenth over.
Green and Suryakumar press on
Suryakumar wasted no time as Mumbai needed 127 runs in their last ten matches. His third ball swept four before hitting Livingstone for a hat-trick of four. It was a typical Suryakumar innings – he struck 26 balls for 57, 33 of which came behind squares on the leg side.
At the other end, Green also shifted into the next gear. In the 15th over, he struck Rahul Chahar 6 and 4, boosting his half-century time in the process and reducing the equation from 30 balls to 66.
Ellis and Arshdeep show off their skills
Green hit Kings impact player Nathan Ellis early in the 16th with a 4-and-6. But Ellis let him miss a slower backhand and Curran settled under it, approaching extra cover.
Despite this, Mumbai has fared well against the competition. In fact, Suryakumar’s six and four runs over Curran in the 17th innings gave Mumbai the lead. With 40 overs required for the final three overs, Tim David hit Ashdeep’s first ball – a full bowl – for six but the bowler was in the remaining five Only three goals were conceded. One of the balls also took out Suryakumar. The batsman flicked towards the midwicket and Atharva Taide jumped to his left to pick up the ball.
David still threatens to succeed for Mumbai. He hit Ellis’ full toss for a 114-meter six in the penultimate over, but otherwise struggled to hit the ball in the middle. He bowled a single off Arshdeep’s first ball in the final and then watched a masterclass in death bowling at the non-striker end.
Prabhsimran, Taide revive strong matchup
Early on, the Kings got off to a quiet start after being fielded. Matthew Short tried to take on Green in the third quarter, throwing him over square leg for four. He eyed another boundary on the next ball, but his attempt to pull the ball failed to clear Piyush Chawla in the short mid.
After three rounds, the Kings lead 20-1. However, the next three rounds were pitched for 38. Jason Behlendorf threw a few short balls in the fourth quarter, and Prabhu Simran Singh slammed the ball out of the short square leg boundary in time. At the other end, Taide pushed Jofra Archer into the top six.
Rohit brought in Chara in the sixth inning, and two batsmen each took a boundary off him as well and lifted the Kings to 58-1 at the end of the power play.
Tendulkar, Chawla drag Kings back
It was a bit of a surprise when Arjun Tendulkar, who was swinging the new ball, was sent off after just one over. When he came back for the second time, in the seventh inning, he had Prabhsimran lbw and a good Yorker, the ball sneaking under the bat and hitting the heel.
Chawla’s double hit in the tenth inning further hurt the Kings. First, Livingstone was seen coming off the track as he slid one off his leg and stumped him. After three goals, he swept Ted. The ball hits the mat and continues to upset the stumps. After ten turnovers, the Kings led 83-4.
calm followed by carnage
Bhatia and Curran consolidated for a while, scoring just 22 over the next four overs. But then there’s the acceleration, and how. Hrithik Shokeen’s error in the 13th inning of the 15th innings did not bode well for Mumbai. However, Rohit did not bring back Chawla, who was 2 for 15, while Rohit continued with Tendulkar. Curran and Bhatia hit him with four fours and two sixes for 31 from wide, also a wide shooter.
After two rounds, Green came on and was penalized. Curran started with two straight sixes. Green sacked Bhatia after a third-quarter single, but Gitesh allowed him to hit two more tops to make it 25.
Curran hit 50 balls for 26, Archer hit 4 and went out in the same way. Still, Jitesh isn’t done yet. He hit two more sixes in the finale, pitched by Behlendorf, to lead the Kings to victory. (cricinfo)
Fraction:
punjab kings
214 for 8 wickets (Sam Curran 55, Harpreet Singh 41, Atharva Taide 29; Piyush Chawla 2/15)
Mumbai Indians
201 Six wickets (Cameron Green 67, Suryakumar Yadav 57; Arshdeep Singh 4/29)
