IPL 2021: Twitter Reacts As Punjab Kings Break Their 3-Match Losing Streak With A 9-Wicket Win Against Mumbai Indians

By Yash Mittal

Updated - 24 Apr 2021, 01:05 AM

Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Kevin Pietersen
Punjab Kings [Image-IPLT20]

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Chris Gayle [43* off 35 balls]and KL Rahul’s [60* off 52 balls] unbeaten 2nd wicket-stand of 79 from 65 balls has helped Punjab Kings’ chase down 132 against defending champions Mumbai Indians and notch up their second win of the season.

Chasing 132 to win on a sluggish Chennai track, Punjab Kings openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal went hammer and tongs in the powerplay.

After a quiet first over, the duo teed into Krunal Pandya in the following over by smoking him for a couple of fours and six. Rohit Sharma brought Jasprit Bumrah in the attack and even he was swivel pulled by KL Rahul for a six as Punjab Kings rocketed to 0/25 in three overs.

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal [Image-IPLT20]
Mayank Agarwal peeled off a couple of fours in the next over bowled by Trent Boult to take 12 runs off the 4th over. Rahul Chahar bowled a brilliant 5th over in which he gave away just three runs besides creating a wicket opportunity.

Rohit gave Jssprit Bumrah his second over of the powerplay but Punjab Kings ensured that they did not lose a wicket, finishing the first six overs with the score of 0/45.

Rahul Chahar [Image- IPLT20]
Rahul Chahar provided the much-needed breakthrough for Mumbai Indians in the 8th over as Mayank Agarwal [25 off 20] miscued a lofted stroke to give an easy catch to Suryakumar Yadav at long-on.

Just 12 runs came in the three overs that followed after the powerplay as Jayant Yadav and Rahul Chahar started to create a stranglehold on the Punjab Kings batsmen.

Just 6 runs came off the next two overs bowled by Chahar and Jayant Yadav and with Chris Gayle struggling to maneuver the strike, the onus of getting a move on fell on KL Rahul. Just 10 runs came off 22 balls since Mayank Agarwal’s dismissal as the equation reduced to 69 from the last nine overs.

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle
KL Rahul and Chris Gayle (Image Credit: Twitter)

Gayle finally released the pressure by stroking Rahul Chahar [1/19 in 4 overs] for a four in the 12th over and he followed that with consecutive fours off Jayant Yadav to take 12 runs from the 13th over. KL Rahul smashed Kieron Pollard for a six in the next over before Gayle followed it up with another one in the next off Jayant Yadav to bring the equation to 33 off the last 5 overs.

Krunal Pandya gave away nine runs in the 16th over, leaving Punjab Kings needing 24 off 24 with two overs each from Bumrah and Boult to follow. Chris Gayle got a much-needed boundary off Jasprit Bumrah in the 17th over and he then followed it with a six off Trent Boult before KL Rahul smashed another one to effectively seal the deal for Punjab Kings.

 

Rohit Sharma starred with a brilliant 52-ball 63 in an otherwise poor batting display by Mumbai Indians against Punjab Kings

Having been asked to bat first, Mumbai Indians got off to a disastrous start on yet another sluggish Chennai pitch as they managed a mere 21 runs for the loss of one wicket in the powerplay.

Quinton de Kock endured yet another failure [Image-IPLT20]
Quinton de Kock’s poor form continued as he fell for a 5-ball 3 after he mistimed an attempted lofted stroke off Deepak Hooda to give an easy catch mid-on.

Rohit Sharma looked scrappy as he survived two caught-behind appeals and a close run-out. Mumbai Indians promoted Ishan Kishan ahead of Suryakumar Yadav but the keeper-batsman struggled big time as he managed a painstaking 17-ball 6.

Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan dismissed for a 17-ball 6 [Image-IPLT20]
Kishan’s stay at the crease came to an end in the 7th over as the southpaw, in an attempt to cut the googly bowled by Bishnoi, ended up outside edging it to KL Rahul.

With just 26 runs on the board for the loss of two wickets after 7 overs, Mumbai Indians desperately needed a move on.

And, that is exactly what they got from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. Sharma took the attack to Fabian Allen and Deepak Hooda while Suryakumar Yadav got stuck into Arshdeep as he smoked him for a four and a six in his first two overs.

The duo brought up a much-needed 50-run-stand in just 36 deliveries as Mumbai Indians moved to 2/76 after 13.

Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. (Credits: Twitter)

Rohit Sharma brought up a well-deserved half-century (in 40 balls) with a delicate cut past third-man off Ravi Bishnoi in the next over. Yadav backed it up with another four past fine-leg to take the total to 2/88 after 14.

Rohit smoked another boundary off Fabian Allen as he thumped the left-arm orthodox past the cover region on what was another poor delivery from the West Indian.

With both batsmen well set and five overs remaining in the innings, the stage was set for the duo of SKY and Rohit to launch a final assault on the Punjab Kings.

But Suryakumar Yadav fell to Ravi Bishnoi in the 16th over followed by Rohit Sharma [62 off 53] in the next over which ensured that Mumbai Indians did not get the final overs flourish as Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya fell cheaply and Kieron Pollard managing a 12-ball 16.

 

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

 

https://twitter.com/naalaYUCK/status/1385603039621369860?s=19

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IPL 2021 Mumbai Indians (MI) Punjab Kings (PBKS)

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