This match was important for both teams. Punjab Kings and the Mumbai Indians had a great chance to win the game and finish the season on top. Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bowl first. The five-time champions took a cautious start, with Rohit Sharma playing 5 dot balls in the first over and hitting the last ball for a 4.
Even after Ryan Rickelton‘s wicket, MI scored more than 50 runs in the powerplay. The young South African scored 27 runs in his last game for MI before going for national duties. Although Hardik Pandya‘s team kept wickets in their hands, PBKS bowlers didn’t let them score that freely. Suryakumar Yadav was once again the best batter from Mumbai’s side, scoring 57 runs in 39 balls. Thanks to Pandya and Naman Dhir‘s contributions, they posted a respectable total of 184.
Punjab’s batting has been exceptional this season. Most of the contributions have been from two of their uncapped players, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya. Unfortunately for them, Singh couldn’t score much, with Jasprit Bumrah striking in his very first over. PBKS was ahead in the game, though, as Arya and Josh Inglis both scored valuable half-centuries.
While young Arya scored 62 off just 35 balls, Inglis was the star of the match. He scored 73 runs off 42 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes. Captain Iyer and Nehal Wadhera finished the match with 9 balls to spare, securing a spot in the top 2. Now they will play Qualifier 1 against RCB if the latter wins their match. If that doesn’t happen, GT and PBKS will play Qualifier 1, with MI facing RCB in the Eliminator.
Fans react to Punjab Kings’ comprehensive victory over the Mumbai Indians
Many fans thought that it would be an easy win for MI. However, Iyer and co. came well prepared, as they registered a dominant win over the five-time champions. Both Inglis and Arya looked imperious during the chase, and their exceptional batting left Pandya helpless.
One fan stated that Punjab deserved every bit of their success. Another fan said that this was Iyer’s answer to the management, who didn’t select him for the upcoming Test series in England. Many fans believed that RCB would defeat Lucknow in the last league match and play against PBKS in Qualifier 1. Here are some of the top reactions from fans:
One user praised Inglis’ innings, saying that an Australian always performs in pressure situations. Another user still believed that it would be hard for them to clinch the trophy. Some fans noted Shashank Singh’s prediction of Punjab finishing in the top 2 before the season started and praised him. Overall, the fans were happy for PBKS, as they prevailed over Mumbai with a solid team performance.