Parthiv powers MI's 25-run win
After Parthiv Patel and Ambati Rayudu scored half-centuries to help MI set a target of 190, the medium pacers – Jasprit Bumrah, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan – struck crucial blows to ensure a 25-run victory.
Published : Apr 25, 2016 19:47 IST
Mumbai Indians produced an all-round performance to extend Kings XI Punjab’s misery in this year’s edition of the Indian Premier League.
After Parthiv Patel and Ambati Rayudu scored half-centuries to help MI set a target of 190, the medium pacers – Jasprit Bumrah, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan – struck crucial blows to ensure a 25-run victory.
Though Shaun Marsh and Glenn Maxwell raised 89 runs for the third wicket off 61deliveries, the asking run-rate kept climbing and eventually proved beyond the host's reach. It could only manage 164 for seven and crashed to its fifth defeat of the season.
Once Marsh and Maxwell departed within the space of 18 runs , leaving KXIP gasping at 139 for four after 17.1 overs, it was too much for the rest, including David Miller, to script a turnaround.
It was a well-deserved victory for the defending champion. The batting clicked despite Rohit's failure and bowlers did enough to ensure a comfortable win.
For MI, Parthiv and Rayudu set the stage with some serious counter-attack after their skipper's dismissal. Their batting enthralled the huge crowd at the I. S. Bindra Stadium here. Their 86-ball stand was dotted with five sixes and 14 boundaries.
Often failing after a good start, Parthiv made the most of a chance he received when on 15. He was given out after being caught at deep square-leg off Mitchell Johnson. But replays showed that Johnson had overstepped by quite a margin.
A relieved Parthiv returned to the crease and smacked two boundaries – like he did in Johnson’s first over and in the third – to rub it in. Throughout his innings, he was severe on anything bowled on his pads and did not hesitate to play the lofted strokes. The left-hander survived a close stumping chance on 32 and was dropped by Axar Patel on 66.
Rayudu, appearing more assured of the two, kept punishing the bowlers from the other end. He hit a six and a four in Axar's third over and hit two successive sixes at the start of the fourth but fell trying a third.