IPL Results 2019: Best Run-Scorers, Latest Table and Schedule
Apr 10, 2019
Mumbai Indians' batsman Ambati Rayudu plays a shot during the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders at The Wankhede Cricket Stadium in Mumbai on April 28, 2016.���� / AFP / PUNIT PARANJPE / ----IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE----- / GETTYOUT (Photo credit should read PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images)
Mumbai Indians earned a dramatic three-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday that went down to the last ball at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Lokesh Rahul's unbeaten century and Chris Gayle, who scored 63, helped the visitors set a target of 197 for four.
However, thanks largely to a sensational 83 from Kieron Pollard in just 31 balls, the home side successfully chased down the total at 198 for seven.
Meanwhile, Gayle's knock of 63 came from 36 balls, including seven sixes.
His partnership with Rahul formed the bedrock of their 197 total, and the pair had reached 116 before Gayle was caught by Krunal Pandya in the 13th over.
Mumbai's task was difficult enough without coming up against a superb bowling performance from Mohammed Shami in the second innings.
The bowler grabbed three wickets—dismissing Siddhesh Lad, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya—in four overs, giving up just 21 runs in the process.
However, Pollard led his side into contention with a superb performance that included 10 sixes.
Punjab finally stopped him in the final over when Ankit Rajpoot made a vital intervention:
It wasn't enough, however, as Alzarri Joseph and Rahul Chahar got the hosts over the line.
IPL 2019: Top Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers After Indians vs. Super Kings T20
Apr 3, 2019
Mumbai Indians batsman/bowler Kieron Pollard (R) prepares to play a shot as Chennal Super Kings wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) watches on October 20, 2012 during a Group B Champions League T20 (CLT20) match at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images)
The Chennai Super Kings' winning start to the season came to an end after they lost at Mumbai Indians by 37 runs on Wednesday and dropped from the top of the 2019 Indian Premier League table.
Mumbai's middle order came to their rescue after the team opened 103-3, rallying to finish on 170-5 and giving themselves a fighting chance at their second victory of the campaign. Suryakumar Yadav (59) and Krunal Pandya (42) combined for 101 runs between them, while younger brother Hardik Pandya contributed 25 off eight balls.
The younger Pandya sibling then played his hand in restricting Chennai and matched masterful Lasith Malinga in bowling out three of their batsmen, while Australian Jason Behrendorff took two wickets at Wankhede Stadium.
None of those featuring on Wednesday come close to matching the running total of Sunrisers Hyderabad star David Warner, who has 254 runs to his name—56 more than any other player. Yuzvendra Chahal of Royal Challengers Bangalore is the league's wicket leader with eight so far.
Wednesday's hosts also had special reason to celebrate their latest IPL victory:
Mumbai appear to have unearthed some mental hold over Chennai after summoning the strength to upset the top team in India and clinch their first home win of the season in the process.
The Pandya brothers were a key component in tightening their grip in this rivalry over recent years, as were Kieron Pollard and Yadav.
Krunal Pandya was called on to bat in the ninth over and impressed with a crucial score of 42 runs, without which Mumbai would have lost the match. He praised the team for their response to a slow start, piling praise on younger brother Hardik (25) and Pollard (17), who ended on the crease, per ESPN Cricinfo:
"Good total from where we were. Ending up around 170 is a good score on this pitch. It's slightly sticky and the ball is not coming on to the bat. Surya and I anchored the innings and in the end it was something special from Pollard and Hardik.
"It was difficult initially, the ball was swinging and seaming as well. But you have to deal with that as a player. Impressed with the way Hardik is preparing, but the way he's batting is not new to me. I've seen him hitting it like this for the past many years."
Wednesday's display was the elder Pandya's highest-scoring performance of the season so far. His brother Hardik, meanwhile, quadrupled his wicket tally for the campaign in one evening and was named man of the match:
Hardik Pandya is adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant innings of 25* off 8 deliveries and bowling figures of 3/20 👏👏#VIVOIPL#MIvCSKpic.twitter.com/doSW8t1l5t
The Super Kings struggled to take wickets—none of their bowlers got more than one—but looked content to let the Indians run themselves down. They had 103 runs at the end of the 16th over but came upon a lethal patch of form to finish, per Cricbuzz:
Deepak Chahar to Suryakumar Yadav - 4⃣4⃣4⃣. Six boundaries scored in the last two overs and all the pressure created by the CSK's new ball bowlers has been released as Mumbai have broken the shackles -- 39/1 (5) https://t.co/apdCVpqAnY#MIvCSK#IPL2019
The guests looked stifled in their innings and hit only four sixes, with Mumbai's bowlers carrying on the momentum of their later batsmen and refusing to give up big scores.
Pollard also contributed an early catch-of-the-season contender to take Chennai veteran Suresh Raina out of the running, per cricket analyst Sarang Bhalerao:
Kieron Pollard at Wankhede Stadium in IPL
2013: Took a blinder of Shaun Marsh at long-on
2019: Takes an amazing catch of Suresh Raina at sweeper cover
In 2013, Pollard dropped three catches off three successive balls of Michael Hussey. #MIvCSK
Mumbai moved up to sixth in the standings with their second win of the season, while Chennai drop to second and now sit behind Kings XI Punjab on run rate.
