The next stop: Mumbai stay put at their adoptive home to take on Delhi Daredevils in an all-important game on Sunday afternoon before Kings XI host Sunrisers Hyderabad later that day, hoping to spoil the party for another contender.
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Yuvraj showcased his clean striking, with three fours and three massive sixes, in an unbeaten 42 off 24, while Ben Cutting – playing his first game for Sunrisers – chipped in with crucial monster hits of his own.
Sandeep’s next over leaked 11 runs, including a six to Cutting and left SRH needing nine runs off the final over. They have so far earned 12 points, and would seek to maintain the momentum going into their next game at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, their current home base. Captain David Warner set the foundation with a 41-ball 52 and he was well supported by DJ Hooda’s 22-ball 34. Hyderabad on the other side, are in a much better position. They still required 83 off 47 balls a stern test for a shaky middle order but Yuvraj and Hooda hit Axar Patel for a four and a six later in the same over.
He also praised Hooda and Yuvraj for the manner in which they scored their runs.
KXIP’s bowlers had done a good job in the tournament until the last match, with Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma delivering for them when needed.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians were off to a disastrous start, losing two wickets for just eight runs on the board within the third over of the innings.
Warner brought up his sixth half-century off the season, but it was rather unfortunate that, in trying to get a single off Axar Patel, his back foot accidentally disturbed the stumps. Out of his previous three matches in the IPL, the 33-year-old had managed to reach double figures only once. There was help from opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (25). The team’s South African recruit stayed almost till the end and crafted valuable partnerships with both Wriddhiman Saha and Gurkeerat Singh Mann to propel his team to a healthy 179 for 4 from their quota.
His superb effort with the bat earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
Amla brought up his maiden IPL half-century in 30 balls. His Sunrisers Hyderabad counterpart, David Warner, did not seem too perturbed, claiming that he would have chosen to bowl first in any case.
Electing to bat, Amla and skipper Murali Vijay (6) made a steady start for Kings XI before the latter fell at the team score of 33 in 4.2 overs. The 54-run stand for the second wicket was broken when Moises Henriques (1-29) had Wriddhiman Saha (27) caught at deep midwicket in the 12th over.
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David Miller’s (20 not out) cameo helped Kings XI Punjab finish with a total of 179 for four in 20 overs. Getting off the mark with a cut through point off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amla targeted Ashish Nehra, off whom he struck three fours through cover and point in the second over, and a straight six in the fourth over.
