Veteran southpaw Yuvraj Singh and the big-hitting Gurkeerat Mann helped Punjab seal a thrilling three-wicket victory over Mumbai to win their second match on the trot in a Group A Super League Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 match at the Jadavpur University campus ground on Monday. Gurkeerat smashed an 18-ball 43 hitting six fours and two sixes while Yuvraj (40 off 34 balls; 2x4, 2x6) played second fiddle to make light of Mumbai's 198/4 in 20 overs after they were put in to bat first.
Yuvraj got two reprieves - dropped on 8 by Akhil Herwadkar and then on 32 by Shreyas Iyer - while Gurkeerat turned the match in Punjab's favour in the 14th over when he hit Akash Parkar for 24 runs in six balls.
Manan Vohra (42 off 31 balls; 3x4, 2x6) helped Punjab to a brisk start before medium pacer Shivam Dube (3/27) got him out.
Dube also got the wickets of Yuvraj and Abhishek Gupta (1) but Sharad Lumba's unbeaten 10-ball 21 saw Punjab cross the line with four balls to spare.
Earlier in the day, Shreyas Iyer's whirlwind 44-ball 79 powered Mumbai to 198/4. Off- spin great and Punjab skipper Harbhajan Singh (0/27) returned wicketless but was economical while Mayank Markande took two wickets.
In the other Group A tie, Jharkhand were virtually knocked out of the competition after suffering their second defeat in consecutive days, losing to Rajasthan by four wickets with five balls remaining.
Put in, Jharkhand could manage 157/5 with Virat Singh (43 off 28 balls) top-scoring for the side and Ishan Kishan playing a patient 39 off 36 deliveries.
Deepak Chahar (2/35) and Aditya Garhwal (2/15) were the pick of the bowlers for Rajasthan.
In reply, Jharkhand were poor on the field, dropping three catches including one of Deepak Chahar in the 17th over. Chahar went on to guide his side to victory, remaining not out on 20 along with Chetan Bist (18 not out).
Garhwal shone with the bat as well, top-scoring for the victors with 43 off 40 balls and anchoring the chase.
(With IANS Inputs)
