Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians, Match 9 from Mohali:
Hello and welcome to our coverage of Match 8 of the Indian Premier League clash between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians. With the 'Mankading' shadow still hovering over them, a deflated Kings XI Punjab will look to get their house in order when they take on Mumbai Indians in their first Indian Premier League (IPL) home game this season at the IS Bindra Stadium here on Saturday. After beating Rajasthan Royals on the road in their opening fixture, a game infamous for Ashwin's 'Mankading' Jos Buttler, Kings XI lost by 28 runs to Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. Coming to Mumbai, the Rohit Sharma led side won a last-ball cliffhanger against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday night, a game marred by Lasith Malinga escaping a big last-ball no ball which the umpire missed. RCB and India skipper Virat Kohli termed the incident as "ridiculous", saying this isn't club cricket. But Mumbai would, nonetheless, take heart from the victory and look to continue their winning run against Punjab. (Match Scorecard | When and Where to Watch)Highlights, PUNJAB VS MUMBAI FROM MOHALI: KXIP win by 8 wickets
* A very professional chase by Punjab. They hardly ever looked in danger in this chase. Chris Gayle and KL Rahul started off with a cautious approach but Gayle then started smashing the bowlers. He was looking set to get another half century but missed out. Mayank Agarwal replaced him in the middle and started off in an aggressive manner right from the word go. Two 50-run stand along with a sensible unbeaten knock of 71 from KL Rahul guided Punjab over the line.
19.39 IST: Jasprit Bumrah to David Miller, There it is! Miller hits the winning runs as he pulls it through square leg. Customary handshakes taking place out there as PUNJAB WIN BY 8 WICKETS!
19.38 IST: Jasprit Bumrah to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR! Educational edge! Length and outside off, Rahul looks to open the face of the bat but the ball goes off the edge, a lot finer than he wanted to play it and to the third man fence. Two runs away now.
19.34 IST: Mitchell McClenaghan to David Miller, FOUR. Yes, it does. Full-length delivery outside off, Miller smashes it through covers. It is wide of the fielders at deep and they have no chance to stop that. Only 6 needed off the last 2 overs.
* Mitchell McClenaghan is back on.
19.28 IST: Jasprit Bumrah to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR! Two in two for Rahul. The pressure now on Bumrah. Length delivery on middle, Rahul lifts his front leg and pulls it powerfully through square leg for a boundary.
19.27 IST: Jasprit Bumrah to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR. Just what Punjab wanted. Good length delivery on off, Raul gets on top of that one and smashes his drive through covers for a boundary.
* Jasprit Bumrah back into the attack.
19.22 IST: Lasith Malinga to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR. Now moves onto 50 in style! A well-crafted innings. He started off slowly, played second fiddle to both, Gayle and Agarwal but then stepped on the gas when his team needed him to.
19.20 IST: Lasith Malinga to Lokesh Rahul, Misfield and an extra run conceded! Once again, this is not good especially at this moment. This is short and outside off, Rahul slaps it through covers. The fielder there misfields and concedes an extra run. Almost concedes another run as his direct hit deflects away from the keeper but the batsmen do not take it.
19.18 IST: Lasith Malinga to David Miller, A confident drive down to long off for a run. Need not do anything silly at the moment.
* Strategic Break - The game here is evenly poised but Punjab have an upper hand here. 37 needed off 5 with 8 wickets in hand one must think it is their Punjab's game. Mumbai though will look to pull things back with a few wickets. Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga hold the key for them. Lasith Malinga to bowl after the break.
19.14 IST: Hardik Pandya to David Miller, FOUR! Boundary to end and it is probably the over which turns the tide in completely in the favor of the hosts. 19 from it. A poor delivery again, short and on the body. Miller just helps it on its way to the fine leg fence.
19.13 IST: Hardik Pandya to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR! That has gone to the fence like a tracer bullet. It was uppish but in the gap. Full and on off, Rahul leans into the stroke and caresses it through covers. Moves into the 40s and it seems that the biggie has got him going.
19.11 IST: Hardik Pandya to David Miller, WIDE! Can't bowl extras at the moment. Down the leg side, Miller looks to flick but misses.
19.09 IST: SIX! What a shot that is! Rahul finally comes to the fore! Slightly short and outside off, Rahul stays leg side of the delivery, arches his back and then cuts it over point. Goes all the way. Once again the perfect start to the over for the hosts.
19.04 IST: Krunal Pandya to Mayank Agarwal, OUT! Caught and bowled! Krunal Pandya is once again the partnership breaker. A sharp catch this. Agarwal makes room and Krunal follows him as he fires it in. Mayank though punches it firmly but uppishly back to where it came from. Krunal there gets his body behind and takes it. KXIP 117/2 in 13.3 Overs
19.00 IST: Hardik Pandya to Lokesh Rahul, Lovely fielding! Every run matters here! Rahul squirts it through point and it races across the turf. Mitchell in the deep makes a lot of ground to his left and the stops it with a slide. Saves two for his side.
* Hardik Pandya back into the attack.
18.54 IST: Krunal Pandya to Mayank Agarwal, SIX. All the way! 100 up for the hosts. Excellent use of the feet, gets to the pitch of it and then tonks it over the long on fence for a biggie. 76 in 50 needed now, Punjab on top.
18.50 IST: Mitchell McClenaghan to Lokesh Rahul, Nicely played for a couple! Waits for the ball to come to him and then just opens the face at the very end. Hits it through point and takes two.
* Mitchell McClenaghan is back on.
18.47 IST: Krunal Pandya to Mayank Agarwal, FOUR! Edgy but Punjab will take it with both hands. Shorter delivery outside off, Mayank clears his front foot and looks to cut it but gets a thick outside edge. It flies away from the short third man fielder for a boundary. KXIP 78/1 in 9.2 Overs
18.45 IST: Mayank Markande to Mayank Agarwal, FOUR! Second boundary in the over! Another productive one for the hosts. Another one which is slightly short, Mayank once again picks the length early. He pulls it through mid-wicket for a boundary. 104 now in 66.
18.43 IST: Mayank Markande to Mayank Agarwal, FOUR! Short ball and put away! It is on middle, Mayank is quickly onto his back foot and then pulls it through mid-wicket. It is in the gap and a boundary results.
18.40 IST: Krunal Pandya to Mayank Agarwal, FOUR. Over the bowler's head! Lovely shot. They key here was he transfers his weight on the foot and plays it with a straight bat. It bounces once before the ropes and then skids on, leaving the fielder at long off no chance to stop it. A much-needed boundary. 9 off the over but the wicket of Gayle.
* Mayank Agarwal walks out at number 3.
18.39 Krunal Pandya to Chris Gayle, OUT! In the air... taken! The Pandya brothers combine to get rid of Chris Gayle. Mumbai are absolutely pumped up as Gayle was hitting almost everything out of the park. He falls 10 short of a half ton. Clever bowling by Krunal. He bowls it very wide outside off, hoping for Gayle to reach out and look to hit against the angle on the leg side. Gayle falls to that trap as he tries to clear long on. It goes right off the bottom. Hardik at long on settles under it and takes it.
18.35 IST: Hardik Pandya to Chris Gayle, SIX.
18.33 IST: Hardik Pandya to Chris Gayle, SIX! Well, the big man is handling the pressure really well. A much-needed biggie. The slower one on middle, Gayle picks it and whacks it over the square leg fence.
* Hardik Pandya is on now.
* Strategic Break.
18.24 IST: Jasprit Bumrah to Chris Gayle, A quick single! Gayle pushes this towards mid off and gets to the other end. The fielder does have a shy but misses.
18.20 IST: Lasith Malinga to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Good length delivery outside off, Gayle flat bats it through covers. Gayle looks in the mood today. Second boundary off the over.
18.18 IST: Lasith Malinga to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Fuller delivery on off, Gayle squeezes it past mid off and the ball races away to the fence.
* Lasith Malinga back into the attack.
18.16 IST: Jasprit Bumrah to Lokesh Rahul, FOUR. Exquisite! Full and on off, Rahul just leans into the stoke, pierces the gap on the off side and bags a boundary. He looks lovely while playing through the off side. KXIP 27/0 in 3.5 Overs
* Jasprit Bumrah into attack
18.10 IST: Mitchell McClenaghan to Chris Gayle, SIX! Consecutive maximums! This one is also huge. It is also his 300th six in the Indian T20 League. This time it is fuller in length on middle, Gayle lofts it over the wide long on fence. 12 from the over, three balls to go.
18.08 IST: Mitchell McClenaghan to Chris Gayle, SIX! That is colossal! A cracking sound of the bat on that one! Short and on middle, Gayle picks the length early and deposits it into the mid-wicket stands.
18.03 IST: Lasith Malinga to Chris Gayle, Slower ball and outside off, Gayle guides it towards short third man. The fielder misfields. However, the fielder next to him does the mopping up job and keeps it down to one.
18.01 IST: Mitchell McClenaghan to Chris Gayle, FOUR! This time Gayle goes through with the shot. Once again a shorter delivery, Gayle this time upper cuts it over the short third man fielder for a boundary.
17.58 IST: Mitchell McClenaghan to Lokesh Rahul, The chase is off the mark. McClenaghan starts with a good length delivery outside off, Rahul taps it towards backward point and gets to the other end.
* We are back for the chase. Out walk Punjab's opening pair of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul. Mitchell McClenaghan to start the proceedings with the new ball.
* So 177 to get. The onus will be on the Punjab openers. Mumbai will look to get wickets and put pressure on the Punjab middle order.
* As for Punjab's bowling, it did not start well but the spinners were excellent for them, especially Murugan Ashwin who picked up 2 wickets giving away just 25 runs. Skipper, Ravichandran Ashwin went wicketless but was economical with the ball. Hardus Viljoen scalped two as well but went at 10 runs an over.
* The Mumbai middle order struggled and no one apart from Hardik Pandya fared well. Quinton de Kock was the star with the bat. His 60 off 39 along with Hardik's cameo of 39 took the total to 176.
* Excellent comeback from Punjab. They have done really well to restrict Mumbai under 180. Mumbai started off on the front foot, with openers Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock taking the charge. But Punjab chipped in with wickets a regular intervals and stopped the run flow.
17.42 IST: Mohammed Shami to Mitchell McClenaghan, A leg bye! So Punjab do manage to keep Mumbai under 180. This is very full and outside off. MM looks to paddle it but misses to get hit on the pads. It rolls towards the leg side for a single. Leg bye signaled. So despite the six, only 9 from the last over. MUMBAI FINISH WITH 176!
17.39 IST: Mohammed Shami to Hardik Pandya, Top running! Pandya squirts this full ball over covers and takes one. He then sets off for a second. It is a big boundary so he makes it till the time the throw comes in from Tye.
17.38 IST: Mohammed Shami to Hardik Pandya, SIX. Mohammed Shami to Hardik Pandya, Top running! Pandya squirts this full ball over covers and takes one. He then sets off for a second. It is a big boundary so he makes it till the time the throw comes in from Tye.
* Mohammed Shami to bowl the final over of the innings.
17.35 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Hardik Pandya, FOUR! 4, 4, wicket and now another boundary! This one is slapped. Short and outside off, Pandya stands tall and hits it through covers.
* Mitchell McClenaghan is the new man in.
17.33 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Krunal Pandya, OUT! Probably not as Krunal falls after hitting two boundaries! The short ball does the trick. He looks to pull but does not get on top of the bounce. It takes the top edge and goes uppishly towards square leg. Murugan Ashwin runs in and takes a good catch. MI 162/6 in 18.3 Overs
17.32 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Krunal Pandya, FOUR! Consecutive boundaries! Length and outside off, Pandya stays on the back foot and then hits it through covers. Is this the momentum changing over?
17.31 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Krunal Pandya, FOUR.
17.30 IST: Andrew Tye to Krunal Pandya, WIDE! Down the leg side, Pandya looks to hit it fine but misses. Wided.
* The new batsman in is Krunal Pandya.
17.26 IST: Andrew Tye to Kieron Pollard, OUT! In the air... and that is a very, very good catch by Agarwal! Pollard perishes in the attempt to up the ante. The knuckle ball does the trick for Tye. It is fuller in length. Pollard looks to go downtown but is a touch early into the stroke. He manages to hit it high in the air. So high that it probably has snow on it as it comes down. Agarwal does really well to position himself just ahead of the ropes and take the skier. Big wicket this as Pollard can be very dangerous.
17.20 IST: FOUR! Pulled away and in the gap! Much-needed boundary! Short and on middle, Pandya stands tall and pulls it in the gap in the mid-wicket region. MI 142/4 in 16.3 overs
* Strategic break has been signalled! Now then, Punjab are amidst a good passage of play here. They have managed to pull things back and also taken a few quick wickets. Mumbai though are still in a decent position and with Pollard and Pandya out there, they are still in contention to get to a big total. The visitors would hope the two can fire.
17.15 IST: On the shorter side, Pandya stands tall and pulls it through square leg. A fumble from the fielder in the deep sees the batsmen take an extra run.
17.11 IST: FOUR! Edgy but Mumbai will take it! Short and outside off, it turns back. Pandya looks to cut but gets an outside edge through third man for a boundary. MI 132/4 in 15 overs
17.09 IST: OUT! And it gets better! Yuvraj holes out! Two wickets in quick succession for the hosts and they are back into this one. Now two new batsmen are out in the middle for the visitors. Murugan removes Yuvraj for 18. Mumbai Indians 126/4 in 14.4 Overs
17.07 IST: Ends up bowling a wide! Way outside off, Singh throws his bat at it but misses. Ashwin puts in an appeal to put the umpire off but it does not make a difference as it is signaled a wide. Will the extra ball cost Mumbai?
17.00 IST: Mohammed Shami to Quinton de Kock, OUT! Three reds and de Kock has to take the long walk back! He takes a review along with him. That seemed a review in hope though. De Kock shuffles right across the then looks to heave it on the leg side. He misses it completely and the ball hits him around the knee roll.
16.57 IST: Mohammed Shami to Quinton de Kock, SIX! Well, he had no problem timing the ball there, that was right off the middle. Fuller in length and on middle, de Kock plants his front foot across and picks it up, the timing is such that it carries over the square leg fence.
* Mohammed Shami is back.
16.52 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, FOUR. Quinton gets to his fifty with it. A very good knock this from de Kock. It is a Floated delivery on middle and leg, de Kock takes the aerial route and looks to heave this over the mid-wicket fence. He does not time it perfectly.But it goes between mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.
* Murugan Ashwin is back on.
16.50 IST: Andrew Tye to Yuvraj Singh, FOUR. Exquisite! Full on off, Yuvraj drives it straight down the the ground through mid off for a boundary. MI 102/2 in 11 Overs
16.48 IST: Andrew Tye to Yuvraj Singh, FOUR. Slower ball gone wrong. It is full on off, Yuvraj lofts it over the vacant cover region. The ball bounces before the ropes and goes away for a boundary.
* Andrew Tye back into the attack.
16.46 IST: Mohammed Shami to Quinton de Kock, SIX. Don't even bother looking, this one is out of here. Length delivery on middle and leg, de Kock rocks onto his back foot and pulls it over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.
16.44 IST: Mohammed Shami to Quinton de Kock, Lucky escape there for Shami. Bowls a length ball on the pads, Quinton flicks it but Gayle at short fine leg does well to stop it from going away to the fence. Single taken.
* Strategic Break - Mumbai are off to a solid start here. But the loss of 2 wickets might be a cause of worry.
16.39 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, FOUR! Consecutive boundaries! This time to the left of the long on fielder. This is very full on middle, de Kock whips it through mid-wicket and it races away.
16.38 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, FOUR! Smashed! Dances down the track but Murugan shortens the length. De Kock hammers it through mid on for a boundary.
16.34 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, FOUR! Deft! Lovely shot. Second boundary for him like this. Once again waits for it and then stays leg side of the delivery. Guides it past short third man and the ball races away.
16.32 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, Wrong 'un outside off, de Kock looks to slash it on the off side but misses. KL Rahul holds onto the ball and goes up in appeal. It is a confident appeal from Rahul but the umpire is not interested.
* Yuvraj Singh comes into bat now
16.30 IST: Murugan Ashwin to Suryakumar Yadav, OUT! Murugan strikes in his very first over. Quicker and straighter on middle, Suryakumar Yadav looks to play it across but misses it completely. MI 62/2 in 6.2 Overs
16.27 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Consecutive ones and this is even better than the last one. Full and on middle, Yadav shows the full face of the bat and then strokes it past mid on for a boundary.
16.26 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Poor ball and it has been put away! Off the mark in style is Yadav. This is on the pads, Yadav says thank you very much and he flicks it through fine leg for a boundary.
* Suryakumar Yadav walks out at number 3.
16.24 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Rohit Sharma, OUT! A huge shout and Rohit has been given! A much-needed wicket for Punjab and it is a big one as Rohit was looking so good. Viljoen draws first blood! He bends his back on this one and bowls it full. MI 51/1 in 5.1 Overs
16.22 IST: Andrew Tye to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Boundary no. 3 in the over! An expensive first from Tye. This is short and on the body, Rohit swivels and pulls it past short fine leg. No stopping that once it beats the fielder. 50 up for the visitors and they are off to a flier here.
16.20 IST: Andrew Tye to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Effortless! Rohit Sharma takes a few steps ahead and Tye spots that. He looks to outsmart the batsman by bowling it short. Rohit though is smarter as he just uses the pace and guides it past point for the second boundary in the over.
16.19 IST: Andrew Tye to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Up and over! That is all you have to do in the Powerplay - clear the in field. Full and outside off, Rohit lofts it over covers. The fielder gives it a chase and dives but his effort goes in vain. MI 40/0 in 4.2 Overs
16.18 IST: Andrew Tye to Quinton de Kock, Starts off with a full toss, he was maybe going for a yorker but misses. It is stroked back towards him. He gets a hand to it but can't stop a single as the ball roll towards mid on.
* Andrew Tye into attack now
16.12 IST: Hardus Viljoen to Quinton de Kock, Starts off with a short ball around off, de Kock manages to drag his pull through mid-wicket and the batters take two.
* Viljeon is on attack now.
16.11 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, FOUR! Just over! De Kock would have surely had his heart in his mouth there. He goes for the sweep shot and does not keep it down. It goes just over the outstretched hand of the fielder at square leg for a boundary. MI 25/0 in 2.3 Overs
16.09 IST: Mohammed Shami to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! This is beautiful. Full length delivery on off, Sharma drives this through covers for second boundary of the over.
16.07 IST: Mohammed Shami to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Bouncer from Shami, Rohit rocks onto his back foot and pulls it over the fielder at short fine leg for a boundary. Bad ball with the fine leg inside the circle. MI 19/0 in 1.5 Overs
* Pacer to bowl from the other end. Mohammed Shami to bowl from the other end.
16.05 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Quinton de Kock, FOUR! Now then, what has happened here? A miscalculation from the umpire, Ashwin just bowled the 7th ball of the over and it has cost him. MI 7/0 in 1 Overs
16.03 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Rohit Sharma, A direct hit but an overthrow! Rohit Sharma taps it towards cover-point. De Kock sets off for a single but then is sent back at the right time. The fielder at point gets to the ball quickly and hits the bull's eye at the non-striker's end. The batsmen though is well in. The ball deflects off the stumps away from the backup fielder and a single is taken.
16.00 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin to Rohit Sharma, Goes flatter this time and on the stumps, the ball just skids on. Rohit easily plays it towards point and takes a single. Mumbai and their skipper are underway.
15.58 IST: We are all set for the action to begin! The Mumbai openers, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock make their way out to the middle. The right-hander will take strike and I feel the main reason for him taking strike is because the offie, Ravichandran Ashwin is starting off proceedings.
15.50 IST: The deadly Indian fast bowling duo is against each other today at Mohali.
15.48 IST: Andrew Tye is caught down for a chat before the game. He says a couple of weeks ago he had a chance to bowl with the Australian team in the nets and that helped him get used to the conditions. Says he is never afraid to try different things and he watches a lot of footage of the batsman and makes plans according to them. Reckons there is always pace and bounce on the pitch and thus expects it to be a high scoring game. Admits that Mumbai has a strong batting line-up and hopes that they can execute their plans that they have made.
15.45 IST: PITCH REPORT - Michael Slater says there is always grass here on the pitch in Mohali. Reckons the bounce and pace is more here than Wankhede. Feels Punjab will rely more on Andrew Tye on this pitch. Tells us the average score here in the 1st innings is 169. Feels the dew will not play a factor here.
15.44 IST: Mumbai skipper, Rohit Sharma, says he wanted to bat first and reckons this was a good toss to lose. Admits that they have to play well though and the last time they did well defending. Further adds that they have good bowling depth and the composition helps them. Ends by saying there is no change in the squad.
15.43 IST: Punjab skipper, Ravichandran Ashwin, says they would want to bowl first. Mentions they want to make use of the conditions in the afternoon and then hope the wicket gets easier to bat on. States they have got enough experience playing on this ground, they have a good record here and they would like to continue that. Informs they have one change, a forced one as Varun goes out and Murgan Ashwin comes in.
Playing XI's for today!
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Quinton de Kock(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga
Kings XI Punjab Playing XI: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller, Mandeep Singh, Hardus Viljoen, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Andrew Tye
15.35 IST: Somebody's excited in Mohali!
15.33 IST: Kings XI Punjab win toss, opt to bowl against Mumbai Indians in Mohali
15.12 IST: Kings XI Punjab coach Mike Hesson believes his team can turn it around against Mumbai
14.45 IST: KXIP owner Preity Zinta has a message for all the fans
14.40 IST:KXIP players hope home support will help them against Mumbai
14.30 IST: Their batting has fared decently so far but they would hope for Rahul to replicate the form he showed last year. They would be eager to get back to winning ways and would surely fancy themselves on a ground on which they haven't been beaten in the last 4 games.
14.25 IST: On the other hand, Punjab's bowling has been an issue. Tye, Viljoen and Varun did not have a good first game. Andrew Tye however, has a reputation in this format and he would probably hold onto this spot. Mujeeb might just come in for Hardus. It though will be interesting to see if Chakravarthy will get another go.
14.15 IST: The inclusion of Malinga and Markande has not only added variety to their bowling but also given them a good balance. However, the form of Pollard is a worry and it will be interesting to see if he holds onto his spot in the XI.
14.10 IST: Both the teams have enjoyed similar fates so far in the tournament, losing one and winning one. However, the visitors have winning momentum on their side after beating Bangalore in a nail-biting contest.
