Match summary: Punjab post third win in five games
The Punjab Kings held their nerves during a spirited chase by the Mumbai Indians and emerged winners by 12 runs in the IPL 2022 game at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday. Mumbai remain winless after five games, while this was Punjab’s third win in five.
Chasing Punjab’s formidable total of 198, Mumbai lost openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan in the powerplay before a blistering 84-run stand between Dewald Brevis (49 off 25 balls) and Tilak Varma (36 off 20) hauled them back into the chase. But the runouts of Varma and Kieron Pollard put the skids under Mumbai, and Suryakumar Yadav’s late flourish of 43 from 30 ball proved inadequate as Mumbai ended up at 186/9 in 20 overs.
Earlier, a superb 97-run partnership between openers Mayank Agarwal (52 from 32 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (70 from 50) launched the Punjab Kings to a challenging total.
Mumbai finish at 186/9 in 20 overs
Unadkat is out, Jasprit Bumrah follows him and Tymal Mills too. That's a three-wicket over for Odean Smith. Mumbai finish at 186/9 in 20 overs
Mumbai chase virtually over
Suryakumar Yadav is caught in the deep for 43 from 30 balls. And Mumbai chase looks as good as over. But Jayadev smacks one out of the park and Mumbai are 183/6 in 19.1 overs
Suryakumar's double six attack
Suryakumar Yadav believes the Mumbai chase is far from over. Two sixes off Vaibahv Arora and 16 from the over takes Mumbai to 166/5 in 17 overs. It's still anybody's game.
Run outs and the pressure
Pressure does strange things. Two run-outs for Mumbai resulted from that. First, it was Tilak Varma, and then Kieron Pollard. The dismissals have taken the wind out of the Mumbai sails. Jayadev Unadkat is in, and the Mumbai tail is exposed. Mumbai are 159/5 in 16.4 overs
Punjab regain control
The dismissal of Brevis allowed Punjab to get back into the game. Just when they have slowed down the scoring, Suryakumar Yadav hoists a six. But the run-out of Tilak Varma (36 from 20 balls) allowed Punjab to retain controi. Mumbai are 131/4 in 13 overs
Boys in a men's game
Dewald Brevis and Tilak Varma are two 19 year olds. The two are propelling Mumbai Indians towards the target of 199 with an array of explosive shots around the wicket. That was till Brevis was dismissed for 49 from 25 balls. Mumbai are 116/3 in 11 overs
Baby AB revives Mumbai with 4, 6, 6, 6, 6
Dewald Brevis is only 19 but takes charge, smashing Rahul Chahar for four sixes. 29 runs came from the over, and Mumbai are 92/2 in 9 overs. No wonder, they call him Baby AB [de Villiers].
Punjab tighten control
Two wickets have allowed Punjab Kings to tighten the screws. Mumbai Indians' scoring has slowed down, but Dewald Brevis breaks the monotony with two fours and they end powerplay at 42/2 in 6 overs
Rohit, Kishan exit
Kagiso Rabada delivers the first blow for Punjab Kings. A cramped Rohit Sharma was forced to check his stroke and the ball balloons for a catch to Arora. Ishan Kishan too follows, nicking Arora to the keeper. Mumbai chase has run into trouble at 32/2 in 3.2 overs
Flying start for Mumbai
Rohit Sharma leads the Mumbai chase with a string of boundaries. A four and a six from the first over, bowled by Vaibhav Arora, and follows it up two more delectable fours against Kagiso Rabada. Mumbai are 21/0 in 2 overs
Midway summary: Agarwal, Dhawan help Punjab post stiff total
A superb 97-run partnership between openers Mayank Agarwal (52 from 32 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (70 from 50) launched the Punjab Kings to a formidable total of 198/5 in 20 overs against the Mumbai Indians at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.
Put to bat by Mumbai, who are desperately seeking their first win of the season, Punjab captain Agarwal set the tone with a flurry of boundaries. Rohit Sharma employed five Mumbai bowlers in the powerplay in a bid to break the partnership. By the time, Agarwal holed out in the deep, Punjab were well placed for a good total.
Although the loss of Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone slowed the scoring, Jitesh Sharma (30 from 15) and Shahrukh Khan (15 from 6) played fine cameos to push Punjab closer to 200.
Punjab want early wickets, while Mumbai need to make good use of the powerplay to chase down the imposing target of 199 for a win.
Punjab post 198/5 in 20 overs
Over 18 from Basil Thampi and Shahrukh Khan takes two sixes off him before he is bowled. Punjab King finish at 198/5 in 20 overs
Jitesh Sharma belts 6, 4, 6
Over 18 bowled by Jayadev Unadkat and Jitesh Sharma lays into him with an array of crisp strokes. 16 off the first three balls, and 23 from the over. Punjab are accelerating. they are 174/4 in 18 overs.
A six and a wicket
Over 17. Shikhar Dhawan clobbers Basil Thampi for a huge six only to fall two balls later. Super effort from Dhawan, who struck 70 from 50 balls. Mumbai seem to have gained some control as Punjab are 167/4 in 17.3 overs
Mumbai bowlers apply the brakes
With the exit of Bairstow and Livingstone, the scoring has slowed down as Mumbai bowlers are cramping the batsmen. Shikhar Dhawan and Jitesh Sharma take Punjab to 140/3 in 16.2 overs. We are in the slog overs.
Bumrah strikes, Livingstone crashes
A superb yorker from Bumrah crashes through the defences of Liam Livingstone who was looking to build on the excellent start from the Punjab openers. Livingstone and Bairstow are gone, so Mumbai might breathe easy. But more batting to come and Odean Smith is still there. Dhawan is taking it deep. Punjab are 133/3 in 15 overs
50 for Shikhar Dhawan, Bairstow exits
Shikhar Dhawan completes his half-century as Punjab Kings continue to dominate the Mumbai bowlers, who are cheered by the fall of Bairstow. Unadkat picks up the second Punjab wicket. Punjab are 128/2 in 14 overs
Punjab batters power away
Jonny Bairstow has joined the runfest and Punjab Kings continue to pile more agony on Mumbai bowlers, who are quite ineffective. A tough catch to the keeper goes down. Nothing is going Mumbai's way. Punjab are 120/1 in 13 overs
A Mumbai breakthrough, finally
Mayank hoists Murugan Ashwin and Suryakumar Yadav takes the skier. The much-neeed breakthrough for Mumbai. They will need a couple more wickets to slow down Punjab, who are 99/1 in 10 overs.
50 for Mayank, Mumbai attack struggles
Rohit Sharma is juggling his bowlers in search of a breakthrough. But a wicket is not forthcoming and that reflects the lack of bite in the Mumbai attack since Trent Boult's departure. Punjab openers are untroubled as they pile the runs. Mayank brings up his half-century, his first this season. Punjab are 90/0 in overs
Punjab Kings revel in powerplay
Punjab openers have been scoring with ease against the Mumbai attack, especially captain Mayank Agarwal. He brings up the 50 with a six of Murugan Ashwin over long-off. 17 runs from the Ashwin over and Punjab are racing away. Mumbai, desperately searching for a wicket, have already employed five bowlers in the powerplay. Punjab are 65/0 at the end of the powerplay. Good show in the first six overs. It's the highest in powerplay this season
Good start for Punjab Kings
A very positive approach from the Punjab Kings. Captain Mayank Agarwal cracks two boundaries off the first over, bowled by Basil Thampi. And Jayadev Unadkat's first ball was sent soaring over long-on by Shikhar Dhawan; super shot. Punjab 17/0 in 2 overs
The toss, the teams, the changes
Rohit Sharma wins the toss and the Mumbai Indians will bowl first. It is the second win for Sharma this season, while the Punjab Kings lose their fourth toss.
The changes. Tymal Mills returns for Mumbai who field only three overseas players. The Punjab squad is unchanged.
The teams
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Lalit Yadav, Kieron Pollard, M Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills, Basil Thampi.
Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh.
Preview: Mumbai desperately seek win against Punjab
Can the Mumbai Indians do a Chennai Super Kings? They have to if Mumbai hope to make it to the last four of IPL 2022. Like Chennai, Mumbai too are a decorated team which have lost their first four games this season. The CSK stemmed the rot with a win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday, and now Mumbai have a chance to notch their first win when they meet Punjab Kings at Pune today [Wednesday].
The task is not easy, given Mumbai troubles. The batting hasn’t been consistent, but Suryakumar Yadav’s return from injury has helped. Perhap, the lean Punjab attack may offer a good chance for skipper Rohit Sharma and others to run into form. Kagiso Rabada is not at his best, and other Punjab bowlers are at best restrictive.
That doesn’t guarantee a Mumbai win since their attack too is relatively thin. Spearhead Jasprit Bumrah ploughs a lone furrow and Murugan Ashwin is the solitary quality spinner. That will be music to the ears for Punjab batters, led by the power-hitter Liam Livingstone. Shikhar Dhawan and Jitesh Sharma also have weighed in well.
Since Punjab will be looking for their third win in five matches, Mumbai have their task cut out. Mumbai need the win more badly to keep their campaign alive. So it’s a must-win game for them. Who will win? It’s too close to call. But a Punjab is more likely.
