Abu Dhabi: Saurabh Tiwary and Hardik Pandya played gutsy knocks to help Mumbai Indians seal a six-wicket win over Punjab Kings at Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Tuesday. This is Mumbais first win in the UAE leg of the tournament and places the defending champions at fifth place in the points table, thereby keeping their playoffs hopes alive.
Chasing 136, Mumbai were given a double jolt in the fourth over. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi had captain Rohit Sharma miscuing a slog-sweep to mid-on. On the next ball, Bishnoi bowled Suryakumar Yadav through the gate with a googly.
Quinton de Kock and Saurabh Tiwary resurrected the chase with a stand of 45 runs for the third wicket. But Mohammed Shami broke the partnership in the tenth over as de Kock, dropped on 17 by Aiden Markram, inside-edged a pull onto his stumps.
Tiwary waged a lone battle for Mumbai, smashing boundaries and keeping his side in the hunt. But he perished at 45, chasing a wide yorker from Nathan Ellis and edging behind to Rahul, who dived forward to complete a low catch.
Pandya, dropped by Harpreet Brar at seven, smashed Shami for a four and six over mid-wicket on consecutive deliveries in the 17th over. Kieron Pollard hit Arshdeep Singh for back-to-back boundaries in the 18th over. Pollard crunched Singh for a four through extra cover followed by a big six over long-off.
Pandya then cut Shami over third man in the 19th over followed by a slap past a diving long-on fielder. Pandya finished off the chase with a flat-bat shot bursting through the hands of long-on, handing Mumbai two crucial points with an over to spare.
Brief scores: Punjab Kings (Aiden Markram 42, Deepak Hooda 28, Kieron Pollard 2/8, Jasprit Bumrah 2/24) lost to Mumbai Indians 137/4 in 19 overs (Saurabh Tiwary 45, Hardik Pandya 40 not out, Ravi Bishnoi 2/25, Nathan Ellis 1/12)
(IANS)