UTV | COLOMBO – Defending champion Mumbai Indians pulled off a three-run victory over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League last night (May 16) and stayed in contention for a place in the playoffs.
Lokesh Rahul’s sixth half-century in the IPL had nearly ended MI’s run in the tournament before fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (3-15) turned the match on its head in his return spell and restricted KXIP to 183-5.
Needing 38 off the last three overs, KXIP took 15 runs off Ben Cutting’s 18th over as Rahul (94 off 60 balls) smashed three consecutive boundaries off the Australian seamer.
But Bumrah bowled a superb 19th over as he outfoxed Rahul with a slower delivery and the KXIP opener holed out at long-off after hitting 10 fours and three sixes.
Mitchell McClenaghan then kept his nerve in the last over and despite conceding 13 runs, the left-arm seamer ensured MI climbed to No. 4 in the table with 12 points.
KXIP also has 12 points, but it slipped to No. 6 on an inferior net run-rate than both Mumbai and Rajasthan Royals.
After being put into bat in front of a boisterous home crowd at Wankhede Stadium, MI’s total of 186-8 revolved around Kieron Pollard’s (50) first half-century in this year’s tournament.
Andrew Tye (4-16) raised his wickets tally to 24 to be the leading wicket-taker in this season as MI struggled to 71-4 in the ninth over.
But Pollard and Krunal Pandya (32) revived the innings with a 65-run fifth-wicket stand in six overs before KXIP hit back.
