IPL 2021: KL Rahul's unbeaten 60 hands Punjab Kings magnificent 9-wicket win over Mumbai Indians

The 2021 Indian Premier League is the 14th edition of the most profitable Twenty20 league globally. Mumbai Indians is the record five-time defending champion under Rohit Sharma. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings continues to hunt for its maiden IPL title glory.

IPL 2021, Match 17: Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians (PBKS vs MI) report-ayh

Team Newsable

Chennai, First Published Apr 23, 2021, 9:22 PM IST

Punjab Kings produced a watchful yet magnificent show with the bat to trounce defending champion Mumbai Indians by nine wickets in Match 17 of the Indian Premier League 2021 at the MA Chidambaram (Chepauk) Stadium in Chennai on Friday. Following an impressive bowling effort, PBKS skipper KL Rahul played a defiant knock of an unbeaten 60 to help his side get back to the winning ways, speedily assisted by Chris Gayle.

Winning the toss, Rahul surprisingly elected to bat first on a slow-looking Chennai track, as he made a change, bringing in Ravi Bishnoi for Murugan Ashwin. For MI, Rohit Sharma kept it unchanged.

As the MI came out to bat, it was off to a shaky start, losing Quinton de Kock for a mere three to spinner Deepak Hooda in the second over, with just seven runs on the board. Just 19 runs later, MI lost its second, with wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan falling for just six to leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi in the seventh over.

LIVE SCORECARD: IPL 2021, Match 17: Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians (PBKS vs MI)

Nonetheless, it was followed by an impressive 79-run stand for the third wicket between Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav. Rohit scored his 41st IPL half-century during this stand, while at 105, the latter departed for 33 to Bishnoi in the 17th over.

Although Rohit looked set, he fell seven runs later, for 63, to seamer Mohammed Shami in the 18th over. In the subsequent 18 runs, MI lost a couple more (Hardik Pandya- 1 and Krunal Pandya- 3), while it finished on a below-par total of 131/6.

For PBKS, six bowlers were utilised, with Shami and Bishnoi being the most effective. Meanwhile, Hooda happened to be the most economical of the lot.

As PBKS came out for the chase, the openers were off to a noble start, contributing 53 runs. In the eighth over, Mayank Agarwal was dismissed by spinner Rahul Chahar, for 25, after being taken by Suryakumar.

Nonetheless, the explosive Chris Gayle joined Rahul and together played a composed yet intelligent cricket. As both played it out until the end, for PBKS to seal the win by nine wickets, Rahul brought up his 23rd IPL half-century.

Six bowlers were pressed into the attack for MI, who just could not deliver enough to create considerable pressure on the PBKS top-order. Chahar happened to be the only one to attain success and being the most economical.
Brief scores: MI 131/6 (Rohit-63, Suryakumar- 33; Shami- 2/21, Bishnoi- 2/21) lost to PBKS 132/1 in 17.4 overs (Rahul- 60*, Gayle- 43) by nine wickets.

Last Updated Apr 23, 2021, 11:10 PM IST