Less than 24 hours after a thrilling chase secured victory, the very next morning saw the Mumbai Indians face a stiff challenge against the formidable Punjab Kings. A rain-affected first day provided the backdrop for a taut encounter at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Wary of the conditions and the opposition’s strong middle-order, MI monitored the required run rate, setting the stage for an interesting battle of attrition.
Kieron Pollard, yet again displaying his experience, led the imposing Mumbai attack. He aimed to exploit the turning nature of Chennai’s pitch early on. Punjab’s openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal, started cautiously, taking time to settle into their innings. They navigated the early deliveries, looking to build a partnership against a unit that had moments of looking less than threatening.
However, a crucial intervention arrived in the form of Jaspit Bains. The legspinner broke the rhythm with his accuracy and cunning variations, unsettling the Indian pair. The key wicket came when Bains trapped Agarwal plumb in front. Suddenly, the strong partnership looked fragile. Dhawan, now on his own, steadied the ship, but the fall of the 60-run partnership marked a significant turning point.
Mumbai continued to probe and Patel and Kirti Azad swung the momentum firmly towards the home side. An excellent diving catch from Azad dismissed Shoaib Akhtar for 16, adding another significant blow. The remaining Punjab batsmen, including the gritty Ravindra Jadeja, now found themselves under heavy pressure from a MI seam attack that suddenly looked much more potent.
Jadeja stitched a crucial stand with punjab’s last man, Hardik Pandya, but it wasn’t enough to rescue the tourists. Mumbai bowled magnificently, extracting turn and surprise from their attacks constantly. With the final ball of the day, Harshal Patel wrapped up the day’s play with the required figures, leaving Chennai celebrating a commendable five-wicket victory in the first session.
Match Flow
Punjab started brightly but lost their opening partnership of 60. Mayank Agarwal was gone caught Bains at slip for 24. Shikhar Dhawan was looking solid on 46 at one stage.
Mumbai seized control after lunch, reducing Punjab from 133/1 to 135/5. Pollard and Bains shared the take-down duties effectively. Azad’s brilliant fielding dismissed Shoaib Akhtar caught at first slip for 16.
Jadeja and Hardik Pandya held Punjab together for a while but were eventually dismissed in quick succession, falling for an eventual partnership of 31 runs. Patel finished with excellent figures of 3/24 from his 8 overs.
The Punjab total for the first day lifted MI by 24 runs. MI now look set for a strong second day, with momentum firmly on their side.
Key Player – Harshal Patel
Finisher Patel bowled magnificently, finishing with killer figures of 3/24. His accuracy and ability to swing the ball kept Punjab’s tail enders guessing throughout the afternoon session.
The victory gives Mumbai a crucial boost ahead of the second day. Punjab will need to regroup quickly, with the turn expected to increase as the pitch gets older.
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