Mumbai: Kings XI Punjab kept playoff hopes alive with seven-run win over table toppers Mumbai Indians at Wankhede stadium here on Thursday.
Kieron Pollard 50 (24b, 1x4, 5x6) and Hardik Pandya played a blinder to almost chase down 230. Requiring an improbable 89 to get in last 31 balls, Pollard kept hopes alive till penultimate ball. Kings XI pacers Sandeep Sharma and Mohit Sharma sizzled under pressure.
Pandya 30 (13b, 4x6) started the mayhem with a six of Axar Patel and four sixes of Matt Henry in 16th over kept them in the hunt. Pandya perished after sharing 55 in 21 balls with Pollard for the fifth wicket. Karn Sharma played a cameo of 19 runs in six balls.
Openers Lendl Simmons 59 (32b, 5x4, 4x4) and Parthiv Patel 38 (23b, 7x4) gave hosts a blazing start in huge chase and were crusising at 82/0 in seven overs but the chase fell apart after Kings XI skipper Glenn Maxwell (1/8 in two overs) bowled tight overs just and dismissed dangerman Simmons. The hosts lost wickets in a heap as the asking rate which was near 12 from the start got beyond their reach. But Pollard had other ideas and dispalyed how dangeorus he can be in this format by taking hosts mighty closer.
Earlier, Indian Test specialist Wriddhiman Saha showed the explosive side of his batting by hammering unbeaten 55-ball 93. The Wicket-keeper batsman struck eleven elegant boundaries and three well timed sixes. Kings XI Punjab notched up season's highest total of 230/3 in their make or break penultimate IPL encounter.
After opening the innings for a change with Martin Guptill, Saha played fluent strokes. Guptill made 18-ball 36 and Maxwell went hammer and tongs in his 21-ball 47 studded with five sixes and two boundaries as the visitors aimed a big target after losing the toss, keeping in mind the dew factor and small boundaries here.
Jasprit Bumrah (1/24) bowled impressively yet again but rest of the Mumbai Indians bowlers succumbed under pressure and erred in line and length.
Guptill went after the bowlers from first ball and Saha hit three boundaries in McClenaghan over as visitors got off to a flier, 29/0 in two overs. Bumrah bowled tight third over but Lasith Malinga (0/45) went for 19 runs in his first over as visitors raced to 68 before Guptill holed out in the sixth over as introducing Karn Sharma inside powerplays worked briefly.
However, there was no respite for the visitors as Saha continued his clinical hitting before Maxwell launched hmself with two big sixes of Karn. He then hit three flat sixes of Harbhajan Singh's first over as visitors amassed 121/1 in just nine overs. Skipper Rohit Sharma kept defensive field for his main bowlers to claw his way back in the game.
