Mumbai Indians scored 192/7 in 20 overs, where as Punjab Kings scored 183 in 19.1 overs.
So, finally Mumbai Indians beat Punjab Kings by 9 runs.
In a heart-stopping showdown at their home ground in Mullanpur, the Punjab Kings found themselves on the unfortunate end of a third consecutive final-over nail-biter, as the Mumbai Indians clinched a nine-run victory, marking their third triumph of the season and keeping pace with other playoff contenders.
Despite appearing to sail smoothly towards victory for the majority of the match, the visitors encountered a formidable challenge from Ashutosh Sharma, whose blistering knock of 61 runs off 28 balls rattled their composure.
However, the Mumbai Indians managed to maintain their nerve, thanks to another stellar bowling display by Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed three crucial wickets for 21 runs.
This ensured that Surya Kumar Yadav’s impressive innings of 78 runs off 53 balls did not go unrewarded.
Suryakumar Yadav, known for his consistency, demonstrated his mettle even on a pitch that offered little assistance to batsmen, evidenced by his strike rate of under 160, a rarity among his T20 innings where he has scored 75 or more runs.
He swiftly initiated the Mumbai Indians’ innings, dispatching Kagiso Rabada for two boundaries in the third over.
By the end of the powerplay, the Mumbai Indians had reached 54/1, with Surya Kumar contributing a brisk 22 off 15 balls.
At the halfway mark, Surya Kumar was on the brink of a half-century, displaying his trademark shots, including a six off Rabada and a boundary off Harpreet Brar.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, after a promising start, struggled to rotate the strike, managing only 29 runs off 20 balls by the 10-over mark.
The Punjab Kings, led by stand-in captain Sam Curran in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan, staged an impressive comeback with their bowling.
Curran’s strategic bowling changes prevented the Mumbai Indians from settling against any particular bowler.
He managed to dismiss Rohit Sharma, who faced minimal deliveries leading up to the 12th over, resulting in a crucial breakthrough for the Punjab Kings.
Curran, Rabada, and Harpreet Brar maintained pressure with three consecutive boundary-less overs until Tilak Varma broke the shackles with consecutive boundaries off Arshdeep Singh.
Surya Kumar Yadav then added a boundary of his own, injecting momentum back into the Mumbai Indians’ innings with a 15-run over.
The Mumbai Indians displayed a strong finishing kick, amassing 62 runs in the final five overs, despite facing challenges from an aging ball that didn’t consistently come onto the bat as expected.
Surya Kumar’s aggressive approach, particularly in Rabada’s fourth over, disrupted the South African’s rhythm, resulting in 18 runs.
Tilak continued the onslaught, remaining unbeaten on 34 off 18 balls, while Tim David contributed 14 runs off 7 balls.
Harshal Patel’s impressive final over, conceding only eight runs and claiming two wickets, restricted the Mumbai Indians below the 200-mark but secured a formidable total of 192, a record at Mullanpur.
In response, the Punjab Kings made a crucial decision to replace the under-performing Jonny Bairstow with Rilee Rossouw.
However, Jasprit Bumrah wreaked havoc in the second innings, dismissing Rossouw with a lethal yorker.
He further compounded the Punjab Kings’ woes by dismissing the skipper, leaving them reeling at 40/4 after six overs, effectively out of contention.
Despite the dire situation, Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh displayed resilience, stitching together a crucial partnership.
Ashutosh’s audacious stroke play, particularly his proficiency in dispatching deliveries aimed at his body, unsettled the Mumbai Indians’ bowlers.
With five overs remaining, the Punjab Kings required 52 runs, and Ashutosh’s onslaught, coupled with a pivotal 24-run over from Akash Madhwal, revived their hopes.
However, Bumrah’s final over stifled the Punjab Kings’ momentum, conceding only three runs.
Hardik Pandya’s astute bowling removed Coetzee and halted Ashutosh’s onslaught, swinging the pendulum back in the Mumbai Indians’ favor.
Despite a valiant effort from Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada’s dismissal on the first ball of the final over dashed the Punjab Kings’ chances of a miraculous victory.
Looking ahead, the Punjab Kings will face the Gujarat Titans in their final game of the season at Mullanpur, while the Mumbai Indians will travel to Jaipur to take on the table-topping Rajasthan Royals.
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