The Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) excellent performance with both bat and ball handed them a noteworthy victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2, overturning a target of 203 with an over to spare. Bowling coach James Hopes commended the PBKS attack, particularly for maintaining pressure on a high-scoring Ahmedabad pitch.
Initially, MI seemed set for a massive score, racing to 65 for 1 in the powerplay and maintaining a scoring rate above ten runs per over in the middle phase. However, PBKS bowlers took regular wickets, preventing MI from fully capitalising in the death overs. “There was a stage where I reckon they [MI] were looking at 220, 225 and we just kept pegging them back at the right time,” Hopes observed post-match. Notably, Arshdeep Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai were crucial in keeping MI’s score within reach. “We never went for that big over of 18, 19. We kept pegging them at 10, 11 knowing that we got Arshdeep [Singh] at the end.”
With MI setting a challenging total of 203, the PBKS batsmen were aware of the task ahead, given the reputation of MI’s Jasprit Bumrah. Yet, Josh Inglis took the fight to the opposition, attacking Bumrah early by hitting two sixes and two fours in his opening over, the fifth of the innings. This aggressive approach set the tone for the chase. “Josh has got a pretty good record against him in short-form cricket. He plays him well,” Hopes noted, highlighting the impact of Inglis’s over on MI’s game.
Tom Moody also credited Nehal Wadhera and Shreyas Iyer’s partnership as critical in steering the chase effectively. “Nehal Wadhera’s innings and his partnership with Shreyas Iyer were absolutely key to this run chase,” said Moody.
Varun Aaron described Iyer’s unbeaten 87 off 41 balls as “a proper captain’s knock,” encapsulating the significance of his innings in securing PBKS’s place in their first IPL final in over a decade. The balance between maintaining pressure while bowling and taking calculated risks during the chase saw PBKS triumph over the five-time champions.
