Dewald ‘Baby AB’ Brevis played a superb cameo (49 off 25 balls) that first set the tempo. Suryakumar Yadav (43) then tried his best to ensure the 18-year-old’s effort didn’t go in vain. But the end result was yet another defeat for Mumbai Indians.
Kagiso Rabada (2/29), after dismissing Rohit Sharma early on, struck again in the penultimate over of the game to account for the dangerous-looking Suryakumar that eventually led Punjab Kings to a 12-run win over Mumbai at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.
Punjab captain Mayank Agarwal had again erred by giving the deciding over to the erratic Odean Smith. But luckily for Odean (4/30) and Punjab, Mumbai had no Rahul Tewatia-like batsman in their line-up, which allowed the West Indies quick to escape without taking a pounding and strike thrice in the final over.
It was really all done and dusted for Mumbai with the fall of Surya in that 19th over, as all they could manage was 186 for 9 in response to Punjab’s 198 for 5.
For Mumbai, it was an embarrassing fifth loss in a row.
What also spoiled the show for Mumbai was the run-out dismissals of the impressive Tilak Varma (36) and Kieron Pollard. In the end, one can only feel for young Brevis, whose brutal assault on Rahul Chahar in the ninth over had turned the game. Bat speed, hand-eye coordination and clean hitting were the hallmark of the four sixes the South African teenager smoked off the leg-spinner, who was hammered for 29 off his first over.
Openers’ show
Skipper Mayank (52) and Shikhar Dhawan (70) laid the foundation for Punjab that helped them reach close to 200 after being put in to bat. Punjab lost a bit of steam following Mayank and Dhawan’s dismissals as Mumbai bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, exercised a bit of control just before the slog overs.