Arshdeep, Curran shine as Punjab Kings pip Mumbai

Press Trust Of India

Mumbai: Death overs specialist Arshdeep Singh shattered stumps at will in a tense final over as Punjab Kings were back to winning ways with a 13-run victory over Mumbai Indians in a high-scoring entertainer in IPL, here on Saturday.

After Sam Curran’s 29- ball 55 led Punjab Kings to a massive 214 for 8, Mumbai Indians took the game into the final over due to fine counter-attack from Cameron Green (67 off 43 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (57 off 26 balls).

The duo added 75 off only 36 balls. Arshdeep struck a decisive blow in the 18th over to dismiss an on-song Suryakumar with Mumbai needing another 33 from 15 balls, and bowled an impressive final over while accounting for Tilak Varma (3) and Nehal Wadhera (0) to return with figures of 4-0-29-4

However the hosts only managed 201 for 6 as Arshdeep broke the middlestump in back-to-back deliveries to sent NT Tilak Verma and Nehal Wadhera packing. On a batting belter, Arshdeep again showed why even Indian team depends on him in T20 games to deliver during the end stages of the game.

Mumbai Indians would agree that Jitesh Sharma’s 7-ball-25 towards the end did become the difference although 82 runs conceded by MI bowlers between overs 15- 18 was another turning point. MI did fight well after conceding 117 runs in the last seven overs, but their effort with the bat was not enough to avert a defeat in a game wherein more than 400 runs scored here at the Wankhede Stadium.

For MI, the biggest gain would be Suryakumar’s return to form. It was in January this year that the swashbuckling batter made his last score in excess of 50 — 112 not out against Sri Lanka at Rajkot — and after a rocky period in which he was dismissed for a rare three consecutive first-ball ducks, the righthanded batter delighted a packed Wankhede Stadium with a typical Suryakumar innings.

Mumbai were also rocked early by Arshdeep, who had his India teammate Ishan Kishan (1) caught by Matthew Short for his 50th IPL wicket. Rohit and Green fuelled MI’s charge in the remainder of the powerplay, taking them to 54/1 after six overs taking their association to a 76-run stand for the second wicket, coming off 50 balls. Rohit looked in imperious form but fell to Liam Livingstone in the 10th over for 44 from 27 balls, studded with four fours and three sixes.

Earlier, Curran justified his top billing with a splendid 29-ball-55 as Punjab Kings lifted themselves from a precarious position to post a commendable 214 for 8. A 92-run stand for the eighth wicket with Harpreet Bhatia (41 off 28 balls) changed the course of the game with 131 runs coming in the back-10.