IPL 2021: Punjab Kings Beat Mumbai Indians By 9 Wickets (Match Report)

KL Rahul's unbeaten 60 helped Punjab Kings(PBKS) defeat Mumbai Indians(MI) by nine wickets in the 17th match of the IPL 2021 on Friday. 

Brief Score: Mumbai Indians - 131/5 (Rohit Sharma - 63; Ravi Bishnoi - 4/21) & Punjab Kings - 132/1 in 17.4 overs (KL Rahul - 60*, Chris Gayle - 43*)

IPL 2021, Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians, 17th Match

Chasing a target of 132, PBKS started well in the powerplay scoring 45 runs without losing any wicket. Both openers - KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal - made full use of the restrictions. 

Agarwal scored 25 from 20 balls with the help of four fours and a six before getting out. Rahul Chahar got the sole wicket of Punjab in the innings. 

Chris Gayle then accompanied his captain Rahul to safely reach the target. The two took their time and rotated the strike more, on a pitch that was becoming more and more difficult to score runs freely. 

Gayle made 43 from 35 balls which included five fours and two sixes. Rahul scored 60 off 52 during which he hit three fours and three sixes. The duo helped Punjab reached the target with 14 balls to spare. 

Earlier, Mumbai Indians was sent in to bat first. They had a horrible powerplay as they could only manage to score just 21 runs and lost the wicket of Quinton de Kock. 

Ishan Kishan too got out as soon as the powerplay got over after playing a forgettable inning of 6 from 17 balls. 

Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav went on to add 79 runs for the third wicket in 56 balls. Sharma scored 63 from 53 balls in which he hit five fours and two sixes. Yadav got out after making 33 off 27 with the help of three fours and a six. 

MI failed to finish on a high as their golden trio of Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, and Krunal Pandya struggled to time the ball. Mumbai crawled their way to score 131/5 in the first innings.