IPL8 MI vs KXIP: Punjab beat Mumbai despite Harbhajan's heroics

Kings XI Punjab got their first points defeating Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in Match 7 despite a spectacular half century from Harbhajan Singh.

Chasing a target of 178, Mumbai seemed down and out for the count at 59-6 after 14 overs before recovering magnificently to make 159-7.

But Harbhajan had other ideas blasting six sixes, including three in succession off Anureet, and five boundaries during his incredible knock of 64 off just 24 balls.

Suchith (34 not out) complimented him during an entertaining 100-run stand but it was too much to ask from the tail with Harbhajan falling in the penultimate ball of the match.

Earlier, a superb unbeaten half century from skipper George Bailey (61) helped Kings XI Punjab make a competitive 177-5 after being put into bat.

Openers Vijay (35) and Sehwag (36) gave KXIP a solid start before the spinners put the skids.

Harbhajan bowled an excellent spell of 4-0-20-2 while Malinga (2-34) struck crucial blows.

Mumbai innings

Harbhajan's entertaining knock comes to an end. MI 159-7, 19.5 overs.

Harbhajan Singh c Sandeep Sharma b Anureet Singh 64 (24b 5x4 6x6)

Harbhajan smashes 50 off 19 balls, the fastest fifty by a Mumbai Indians player to keep alive their faint hopes of victory.

Harbhajan is on fire blasting three consecutive sixes off Anureet to bring Kotla alive.

Johnson goes for 17 with Harbhajan and Suchith blasting a six apiece in an act of defiance. MI 96-6, 16 overs.

Patel strikes and Pollard departs putting Mumbai on the ropes. MI 59-6, 13.4 overs.

Kieron Pollard c Miller b Patel 20 (21b 1x4 1x6)

Johnson bounces out Rayudu as Mumbai sink further into the abyss. MI 46-5, 11.5 overs.

Ambati Rayudu c Saha b Johnson 13 (19b 2x4 0x6)

Patel strikes beating Anderson in flight and being stumped despite Saha to gather cleanly. MI 25-4, 7.3 overs.

Corey Anderson st Saha b Patel 5 (11b 1x4 0x6)

Anderson gives Sandeep the charge and slams a boundary. MI 23-3, 7 overs.

Johnson strikes a deadly blow as Finch swings and misses. MI 17-3, 5.2 overs.

Aaron Finch b Johnson 8 (14b 1x4 0x6)

Mumbai lose another wicket as Tare slaps Anureet straight to Maxwell. MI 15-2, 3.4 overs.

Aditya Tare c Vijay b Anureet Singh 7 (10b 0x4 0x6)

Finch hits the first boundary of the innings punching Anureet through the covers.

Sandeep strikes with the second delivery trapping Rohit leg before. MI 0-1, 0.2 overs.

Rohit Sharma lbw b Sandeep Sharma 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Punjab innings

Bailey smashes 50 off 27 balls blasting three sixes and two boundaries.

Malinga has struck again as Dhawan departs. KXIP 150-5, 17.1 overs.

Rishi Dhawan c Vinay Kumar b Malinga 6 (6b 1x4 0x6)

Malinga strikes removing Miller caught behind after Bailey whacks a full toss for a maximum. KXIP 134-4, 15.3 overs.

David Miller c Tare b Malinga 24 (23b 3x4 0x6)

Harbhajan completes an excellent spell returning figures of 4-0-20-2. KXIP 105-3, 13 overs.

Harbhajan strikes again beating Vijay with the arm ball. KXIP 88-3, 10.2 overs.

Murali Vijay c Suchith b Harbhajan Singh 35 (29b 6x4 0x6)

Double blow for Punjab as Maxwell commits hara kiri giving Rayudu catching practice. KXIP 68-2, 7.4 overs.

Glenn Maxwell c Rayudu b Suchith 6 (4b 1x4 0x6)

Harbhajan strikes getting ride of Sehwag who goes for a big one only to miscue it. 60-1, 6.4 overs.

Virender Sehwag c Pollard b Harbhajan Singh 36 (19b 6x4 1x6)

Vintage Viru flicking Malinga for consecutive boundaries to bring up the 50 of the innings. KXIP 57-0, 6 overs.

Sehwag sizzles getting a streaky boundary off Vinay before hitting the first maximum with a flick to midwicket followed by a square cut to the fence. KXIP 32.0, 3 overs.

Vijay hits two consecutive boundaries off Vinay to set Punjab on their way.

Playing XI

MI: RG Sharma, A Finch, A Tare, A Rayudu, C Anderson, K Pollard, H Singh, L Malinga, V Kumar, P Suyal, J Suchitch

KXIP: V Sehwag, M Vijay, W Saha, G Maxwell, A Patel, D Miller, G Bailey, M Johnson, R Dhawan, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma

Toss

Mumbai have won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab are looking for their first points when they go face off in Match 7 of IPL8 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday under lights.

MI were outclassed by KKR in the opening fixture of the season, KXIP lost to Rajasthan Royals in Friday’s clash in Pune.

Mumbai and Punjab have seven wins a piece from 14 clashes.

Squads

Mumbai Indians: RG Sharma, CJ Anderson, AC Blizzard, JJ Bumrah, UBT Chand, M de Lange, AJ Finch, S Gopal, Harbhajan Singh, JR Hazlewood, SD Lad, MJ McClenaghan, SL Malinga, A Mithun, PP Ojha, HH Pandya, PA Patel, KA Pollard, N Rana, AT Rayudu†, LMP Simmons, J Suchith, P Suyal, AP Tare†, R Vinay Kumar, AA Wakhare

Kings XI Punjab: GJ Bailey, Anureet Singh, P Awana, R Dhawan, YA Golwalkar, Gurkeerat Singh, BE Hendricks, MG Johnson, Karanveer Singh, SE Marsh, GJ Maxwell, DA Miller, NS Naik, AR Patel, NLTC Perera, WP Saha, Sandeep Sharma, V Sehwag, Shivam Sharma, SN Thakur, M Vijay, M Vohra

 

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