Mumbai Indians Stay Alive After Overcoming KXIP In A Thriller

Mumbai Indians leaped Kings XI Punjab into the fourth position of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 table after notching their sixth victory of the season. A three-run victory helped MI stay alive after overcoming KXIP in a thriller. KXIP slipped to fifth in the table and could not chase down 187-run target despite a classy 94 scored by their talisman KL Rahul.
Till Rahul was there at the crease, there was hope for Kings XI, but an excellent 19th over by Jasprit Bumrah (3/15) won the game for the hosts. KXIP finished at 183/5 in 20 overs and suffered another blow with their middle order failing to step up yet again in the tourney.
Momentum is a key in this format and KXIP’s waywardness is becoming their enemy especially after the side got off to a stellar start this season. What’s strange is the side have both the Orange and Purple Cap holders, yet its the team effort that have let them down.

MI vs Kings XI Punjab – Match in Numbers

1. Mumbai Indian’s opener Suryakumar Yadav became the first uncapped Indian player to score over 500 runs in an IPL season.
2. With MI’s victory, they took the overall meeting result to 12-10. This was the sides’ 22nd meeting in IPL.
3. At the Wankhede, MI took their record to 4-4 in eight meetings between the two teams.
4. This was Kings XI Punjab’s sixth loss in the last seven games.

Jasprit Bumrah deserves all the plaudits

15 runs in three overs that saw him get the wickets of Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch and KL Rahul was the winning moments of the match. It all started with FInch’s wicket at a time when both he and Rahul were in command. And the significant blow was served when he got Rahul with a slower delivery to finish with figures of 3-0-15-3.
He notched his 15th wicket of IPL 2018 and his economy rate of 6.86 speaks volumes. Time and time again its been the MI bowlers, who have come out strongly and Bumrah once again showed why he is a genuine match winner.

KL Rahul continues to excel

KL Rahul has been involved in 11 of the 13 fifty-plus partnerships for KXIP in this IPL. This shows how much he has enjoyed batting and the form he has made the most out of. He was aiming to win the game and could have got to his first hundred, but a slower ball from Jasprit Bumrah in the 19th over foxed him. From there on, KXIP faltered.
Rahul was a class act once again and match by match he is becoming so dangerous with the bat. Be hit his reverse-hit fours off Ben Cutting, or the straight lofted sixes of Mayank Markande, Rahul defined the art of batting in a classy manner once again. He has taken his game to another level this season and has everybody in awe of him.
He notched many records along the way but was left in tatters after being dismissed and the reaction in the dugout said it all. Earlier, he added a 134-run stand with Aaron Finch (46) for the second wicket.

KL Rahul in Stats

1. KL Rahul brought up his fifty in 36 balls and this was his sixth in IPL 2018.
2. He is the second highest behind Kane Williamson (7).
3. This was his 6th fifty while chasing this season.
4. Rahul also overcame Pant for the most fours hit (62),
5. He also accounted for the most sixes also (35).
6. Rahul became the first batsman to cross 600+ runs this IPL.
7. He overtook Delhi Daredevils’ Rishabh Pant (652).
8. He became the fifth Indian player to cross 600+ runs in IPL history.

Highest scores in unsuccessful chases in IPL:

1. 100 Y Pathan, 2010
2. 95* KL RAHUL, 2018 (v RR)
3. 95 S Marsh, 2011
4. 95 Vohra, 2017
5. 94* Ojha, 2018
6. 94 KL RAHUL, 2018 (v MI)

Australia’s Andrew Tye a hero of this format

He is definitely one of the leading bowlers in this format. Andrew Tye has been a revelation this season and has continued to put in the work every time he has walked on the pitch. A third four-wicket haul in four games tells a story that how much he has come forward in making his impressions felt.
KXIP have been too dependant on him and Rahul this season and the statistics tells one why. Tye was exceptional in the power-play overs, before coming back strong at the death too. The Aussie international is the leader of the pack in the national team in this format and for KXIP too, he showed his leadership skills with the ball.

Tye’s Stat Box

1. In the power-play, Andrew Tye gave away just 5 runs in 2 overs and picked 3 wickets.
2. The rest of KXIP bowlers gave away 55 runs in four overs.
3. Tye became the first bowler in IPL history to take three four-wicket hauls in a single season.
4. Tye once again was superb and gave away just 16 runs in four overs to pick four wickets.
5. He reached 24 wickets in IPL 2018.