IPL 2018, MI vs KXIP: 3 Best decisions from the game between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab

Mumbai kept their playoff hopes alive with a thrilling win

The Mumbai Indians took on the Kings XI Punjab in a crucial encounter at the Wankhede stadium. Both teams desperately needed a win to remain in the hunt for playoffs.

Ravichandran Ashwin won the toss and elected to field first, looking to take advantage of the dew factor batting second.

Mumbai got off to an excellent start as Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav attacked at the top. But Punjab pegged things back by picking up three wickets in the space of three overs.

Some vintage hitting from Kieron Pollard thereafter got Mumbai to a competitive score of 186 runs. In reply, Punjab lost Chris Gayle early but a big partnership between K.L Rahul and Aaron Finch kept them in the game.

However, some excellent death bowling by Jasprit Bumrah led to the Mumbai Indians winning the game by three runs. Let us have a look at some decisions that turned out to be masterstrokes.


#1 Giving Andrew Tye a second over on the trot

Tye's spell in the powerplay overs brought Punjab back into the game

Mumbai got off to a flying start as Kishan went after Mohit Sharma from the word go. The scorecard read 57/1 after the end of 5 overs. Ashwin usually keeps his trump card Andrew Tye’s overs intact for the death.

But Mumbai had got off to a good start and Punjab needed a wicket at that stage as Kishan threatened to cut loose. So, he brought on Tye for his second over in the powerplay. The move worked wonders as Tye deceived Kishan by a knuckleball and was caught at mid-on.

On the very next ball, the Australian pacer got lucky as Suryakumar Yadav gave the simplest of catches to Rahul via an inside edge off the thigh pad. This turned the match on its head and brought Punjab back into the game.

#2 Keeping mid-on up for Rohit Sharma

Sharma's wicket was a vital one for Punjab

One hardly gets to see attacking captaincy these days in T20s as captains are more eager to save runs rather than go for wickets.

Fields are spread out as soon as the mandatory powerplay overs are done with. With the match firmly in the balance, Ashwin gave the ball to Ankit Rajpoot.

In a bold move, Ashwin kept the mid-on up, inviting Rohit Sharma to go over the top. The move worked wonders as Rohit Sharma mistimed his pull and spooned an easy catch to Yuvraj Singh fielding at mid-on. It was a big moment in the game as Rohit is a class batsman and could have hurt Punjab later on in the match.

#3 Ashwin bowling at the death

Ashwin picked up two big wickets in his two overs at the death

Ashwin usually bowls his overs in the powerplay or in the middle overs. He is reluctant to bowl at the death.

However, today as Kieron Pollard threatened to take the game out of sight, Ashwin brought himself on in the 16th over. It was a big gamble as it would have been easy for Pollard to hit Ashwin with the spin.

The gamble paid off as Ashwin bowled it wide outside off and Pollard could only give an easy catch to Finch at long off.

In his next over, he got the big-hitting Ben Cutting caught at mid-wicket. In his two overs at the death, Ashwin conceded just 13 runs and picked up two big wickets. His spell was largely responsible for restricting Mumbai’s score below 200.


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Edited by Alan John