In the 42nd match of the VIVO IPL 2021, Mumbai Indians beat Punjab Kings by six wickets. Vital contributions from Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard helped MI to register their first victory of the second phase in a nail-biting finish.
Mumbai Indians won the toss and chose to field. MI was restrictive throughout the first innings with the ball, which didn’t allow Punjab Kings to score easily. After the first innings, the five-time IPL champions had a target of 136. The Mumbai-based franchise didn’t get a decent start, Ravi Bishnoi sent back Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in consecutive deliveries. Quinton De Kock and Saurabh Tiwary stitched a partnership of 41 runs which stirred MI’s ship after two quick wickets. After smashing a boundary to Mohammed Shami, De Kock was bowled in the following delivery. Hardik Pandya was the new batsman at the crease and built a small partnership with the set-batsman Tiwary. Pandya took the back seat in the partnership while the southpaw was taking over the PBKS bowlers. Tiwary lost his wicket in the 16th over when he was just five runs short of his half-century. The game was heading towards an exciting finish as MI’s man-in-crisis Kieron Pollard walked out to bat at number six. Mumbai needed 40 from the last four, Pandya smashed 11 off the Shami over which helped the all-rounder gain some momentum. In the following over, Pandya just managed to score one run off the three deliveries, in the next three balls, Pollard gathered 11 and kept MI in the game. With 16 needed off 12, Pandya finished the game in the next six deliveries in style.
Aiden Markram and Deepak Hooda were the major contributors with the bat for PBKS. After a dreary start, Hooda and Markram’s partnership in the middle overs helped PBKS to set up a defendable target on the board.
Jasprit Bumrah was the pick among the bowlers as he pocketed two wickets for 24. Pollard grabbed two wickets while Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar had one wicket each. For PBKS, Bishnoi kept them in the game with his two important wickets in the powerplay. Shami and Ellis had one scalp each to their names.
Following this victory, MI occupied the fifth spot with 10 points while PBKS slipped to the sixth position with eight points.
Scorecard:
Punjab Kings – 135/6, Overs 20, Aiden Markram (42), Jasprit Bumrah (2/24)
Mumbai Indians – 137/4, Overs 19, Saurabh Tiwary (45), Ravi Bishnoi (2/25).