The 33rd IPL Clash between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians unfolded at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh on April 18, 2024. The Punjab Kings chose to field first after winning the coin toss.
**Teams:**
*Punjab Kings (On-field XI):*
Rilee Rossouw, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
*Mumbai Indians (On-field XI):*
Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Gerald Coetzee, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah
**Impact Substitutes for the Teams:**
*Mumbai Indians Bench:*
Akash Madhwal, Nuwan Thushara, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Naman Dhir
*Punjab Kings Impact Subs:*
Rahul Chahar, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Harpreet Bhatia, Shivam Singh, Rishi Dhawan
A few adjustments were made to the Punjab Kings’ lineup from their last match, whereas the Mumbai Indians opted to keep their team unchanged. Sam Curran lead Punjab Kings in Shikhar Dhawan’s absence.
**FIRST INNING-**
Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma initiated the inning for Mumbai Indians. Kishan was quickly dismissed by Rabada’s delivery. Following his exit, Rohit Sharma and Surya Kumar Yadav aggressively tackled the Punjab bowlers, amassing an 81-run partnership and solidifying their team’s position. Rohit Sharma contributed 36 runs off 25 balls, hitting 2 fours and 3 sixes. After his departure, Tilak Varma joined forces with Yadav, adding 49 runs to the scoreboard. Surya Kumar Yadav, the showstopper for Mumbai, smashed 78 runs off 53 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes. Varma also showcased some remarkable shots, scoring 34 runs in 18 balls. The rest of the Mumbai batting lineup couldn’t add much to their total, ending at 192-7. Harshal Patel took three critical wickets, while Sam Curran eliminated both Rohit Sharma and Surya Kumar Yadav.
**SECOND INNING-**
Punjab Kings had a disappointing start, losing 4 wickets by the third over. Harpreet Singh and Shashank Singh cautiously steered the team through this challenging phase. Shashank Singh became particularly lethal against Mumbai, scoring 41 runs off 25 deliveries. Despite his efforts, Bumrah’s bowling prowess eventually halted his run. Ashutosh Sharma in collaboration with Harpreet Brar practically seized control for Punjab, making a stunning near-comeback. Ashutosh Sharma’s innings, hitting 61 runs in 28 balls with 2 fours and 7 sixes , was pivotal. However, in a crucial moment, Bumrah’s last over gave only 3 runs, mounting pressure on Punjab which led to Coetzee dismissing Ashutosh Sharma. Bumrah and Coetzee each bagged 3 wickets, with Hardik, S Gopal, and A Madhwal taking one wicket apiece, preventing Punjab from reaching their target.
Jasprit Bumrah was celebrated as the player of the match for his outstanding bowling performance, offering a masterclass in pacing and precision with a spell of 4-0-21-3. Suryakumar Yadav’s batting was a delight for the audience, underpinning Mumbai’s robust continuation in the early half of the second inning. Their victory propelled Mumbai Indians to the 7th position in the points table.
Conversely, Punjab Kings were commendable in their approach, with Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma nearly clinching the game from Mumbai. Harshal Patel delivered precise balls towards the end of the first inning. Despite a spirited performance, their loss anchored them at the 9th position on the points table, suggesting that a touch of fortune might have been missing in their closure of the game.