Faced with the huge task of winning their last six games to stand a chance of qualifying for the playoff, Mumbai Indians started with a six-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab in Indore on Friday.
Set 175, Mumbai Indians seemed out of it at 120-4 halfway through the 16th over, but Krunal Pandya and skipper Rohit Sharma, batting at six, steered them home with an over to spare.
Their unbroken partnership of 56 in just 3.3 overs secured Mumbai Indians’ third win in nine games this season, and lifted them from bottom of the table to fifth spot.
Pandya struck two sixes and four fours in 31 off 12 and Sharma ended on 24 off 15. Suryakumar Yadav started the chase with 57 off 42 balls (6x4s, 3x6s), while Ishan Kishan (25) and Hardik Pandya (23) chipped in.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman took 2-37 for Kings XI Punjab, who managed 174-5. Chris Gayle scored his third fifty to go with a hundred this season, hitting 50 off 40 balls (6x4s, 2x6s). Gayle and KL Rahul (24) put together their fifth half-century stand this season, after which Kings XI struggled in the middle overs.
Marcus Stoinis, who struck Hardik Pandya for 22 in the last over, ended on 29 off 15.
Tomorrow, Chennai Super Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore at 06:30h and Sunrisers Hyderabad will face off with Delhi Daredevils at 10:30h.
Editor’s note: Follow the games live on E2, the exclusive local broadcaster of IPL 2018.
