Suryakumar Yadav’s consistent form in T20 cricket continued as he notched up a 57 off 39 balls, helping Mumbai Indians set a target of 185 for Punjab Kings in their Indian Premier League clash. Yadav, reflecting on their innings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, described the pitch as “challenging” and reckoned they might have been “10-15 runs short.”
Stepping in at No. 3 during the sixth over, Yadav stayed at the crease until the final over, adeptly navigating a tricky middle phase before accelerating with teammate Naman Dhir. The penultimate over, bowled by Vijaykumar Vyshak, saw 23 runs, fuelling hopes of a high finish. However, Arshdeep Singh’s disciplined final over, conceding just three runs, stifled Mumbai’s total.
Beyond Yadav and Dhir’s efforts, Hardik Pandya played a crucial role, scoring 26 from 15 balls. His innings brought momentum during the later stages, ensuring Mumbai could post a defendable score, even if slightly below expectations.
Earlier, South African batsman Ryan Rickelton, playing his last match of the season before national duties, got Mumbai off to a brisk start. Rohit Sharma, though initially struggling against left-arm seamers like Arshdeep and Marco Jansen, found his rhythm in the powerplay against spinner Harpreet Brar. Sharma’s aggressive intent saw him lofting Brar for a series of boundaries before an impressive catch from Nehal Wadhera ended his innings at 24.
Following Sharma’s departure, Mumbai experienced a turbulent phase, losing two quick wickets. Nevertheless, Hardik’s swift knock alongside Suryakumar, who reached his half-century in 34 balls, rejuvenated the innings. While Mumbai scored 53 in the last five overs, there was a lingering notion of missing out on a few more runs.
Vyshak, playing only his third IPL match, was economical until his expensive final over left him with figures of 2 for 44. Both Arshdeep and Jansen picked up two wickets each, effectively contributing to restricting Mumbai.
The match set the stage for an intriguing chase by Punjab Kings, as Mumbai geared up to defend their slightly under-par score.
