Mumbai Indians won their second game of this season against Kings XI Punjab by 48 runs. With this victory, Mumbai surged at top of the points table while Kings XI Punjab moved to sixth position. While batting first Mumbai scored 191 runs where Rohit Sharma was the leading run-scorer with his 70 runs, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard also contributed with their quick-fire innings.
Punjab batsmen were completely failed right from start of their chase. Apart from Nicholas Pooran no other batsmen scored more than 30 runs. Pooran scored 44 runs, while from the Mumbai side Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the most successful bowler with his figure of 2 wickets for 18 runs in his four overs.
Rohit Sharma praised the efforts of Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya who were brilliant in the later half of Mumbai innings.
“We didn’t start really well, but we always knew with the kind of attack Punjab had we wanted to capitalise. Those two guys they back themselves to get the runs, it’s nice to have them in form as well,” said MI captain Rohit Sharma in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“It wasn’t going to be easy with the ball against KXIP’s batting line-up. We knew we had to get early wickets and everything went to plan, credit to the bowlers,” he said. Rohit also said that he and fast bowlers James Pattinson and Trent Boult understand each other better.
“They have now got an idea of what I need from them and I have got to know them better too,” he said.
“It’s about what’s there in front of you. Look at the bowlers and see how many you want to get, 15 off the over and then you try to go hard. Today, Hardik had to come and swing and he showed his prowess. We know sky is the limit in the last 4 overs,” he said.
