The one issue that must have been nagging Mumbai Indians’ celebrated coach Ricky Ponting is the opening combination. On Sunday, Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel put all fears to rest with a 111-run opening partnership that gave the rest of the batsman a good platform to put the pressure on a hapless Kings XI Punjab at Mohali.
Clicking at the start
In their ninth game of the Indian IPL, Mumbai posted a formidable 172 for three wickets in 20 overs after opting for first strike on a good batting pitch. It was a delightful combination of Caribbean flash and Gujarati chutzpah that propelled a team that seems to have finally got the combination right.
While the consistent Simmons (71 runs off 56 balls) kept the scoreboard ticking with his West Indian flavour of batting, Patel surprised all by cleverly striking the ball to finish with 59 runs at a strike rate of 163. The diminutive left-hander had his foot firmly on the pedal and upped the run flow with five fours and three sixes.
Then, Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma celebrated his recent engagement by keeping the Kings attack under pressure with timely strikes. The Punjab bowlers looked off colour with their spearhead Mitchell Johnson going for plenty and their fielding leaving lot to be desired.
Punjab: down and almost out
With just four points in nine matches, the Kings’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs look dim. One realises that their star campaigners, Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Virender Sehwag and captain George Bailey are woefully out of form, but constant changes, match after match, are certainly not helping the team to settle down.
Mumbai took full advantage of the flux that Kings are in to seal an effortless victory and add two crucial points to their kitty. Putting up a good total was never a worry for Mumbai, considering their strong batting line-up; it was always defending a score that had put a crease of worry on Ponting’s forehead.
Defending well
For a second time in a row, their veterans Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh put their hands up and took it upon themselves to deliver the goods for the team. Mitchell McCleanaghan supported his seniors with a spell of inspired bowling as he strangled the Kings batsmen, who were looking for a revival in the death overs, with a well-improvised line and subtle change of pace.
Mumbai’s biggest weapon has always been Malinga. His unique sling-arm action and deceptive yorkers have decided Mumbai’s fate, more often than not, throughout the team’s journey in all editions of the IPL. This year too, the team struggled for foothold initially as the colourful Sri Lankan took his time to settle down.
Malinga’s showing in Mumbai’s last three matches, as well as that of Harbhajan’s, is a good sign for a team that has been troubled by injuries to key players. Mumbai has a lot of catching up to do after four consecutive losses in the IPL in this edition. Each and every game is important for to qualify for the playoffs.
At this stage of the tournament, every team is showing chinks in their armour. Upstarts like Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have come back into the tournament with stellar shows, are challenging well-settled teams like Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Mumbai are still in the uncomfortable huddle of teams in the middle of the points table. They play their next game at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, against Delhi Daredevils. They would do well to capitalise on Delhi’s loss to Rajasthan Royals by piling on the pressure.
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Clicking at the start
In their ninth game of the Indian IPL, Mumbai posted a formidable 172 for three wickets in 20 overs after opting for first strike on a good batting pitch. It was a delightful combination of Caribbean flash and Gujarati chutzpah that propelled a team that seems to have finally got the combination right.
While the consistent Simmons (71 runs off 56 balls) kept the scoreboard ticking with his West Indian flavour of batting, Patel surprised all by cleverly striking the ball to finish with 59 runs at a strike rate of 163. The diminutive left-hander had his foot firmly on the pedal and upped the run flow with five fours and three sixes.
Then, Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma celebrated his recent engagement by keeping the Kings attack under pressure with timely strikes. The Punjab bowlers looked off colour with their spearhead Mitchell Johnson going for plenty and their fielding leaving lot to be desired.
Punjab: down and almost out
With just four points in nine matches, the Kings’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs look dim. One realises that their star campaigners, Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Virender Sehwag and captain George Bailey are woefully out of form, but constant changes, match after match, are certainly not helping the team to settle down.
Mumbai took full advantage of the flux that Kings are in to seal an effortless victory and add two crucial points to their kitty. Putting up a good total was never a worry for Mumbai, considering their strong batting line-up; it was always defending a score that had put a crease of worry on Ponting’s forehead.
Defending well
For a second time in a row, their veterans Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh put their hands up and took it upon themselves to deliver the goods for the team. Mitchell McCleanaghan supported his seniors with a spell of inspired bowling as he strangled the Kings batsmen, who were looking for a revival in the death overs, with a well-improvised line and subtle change of pace.
Mumbai’s biggest weapon has always been Malinga. His unique sling-arm action and deceptive yorkers have decided Mumbai’s fate, more often than not, throughout the team’s journey in all editions of the IPL. This year too, the team struggled for foothold initially as the colourful Sri Lankan took his time to settle down.
Malinga’s showing in Mumbai’s last three matches, as well as that of Harbhajan’s, is a good sign for a team that has been troubled by injuries to key players. Mumbai has a lot of catching up to do after four consecutive losses in the IPL in this edition. Each and every game is important for to qualify for the playoffs.
At this stage of the tournament, every team is showing chinks in their armour. Upstarts like Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have come back into the tournament with stellar shows, are challenging well-settled teams like Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Mumbai are still in the uncomfortable huddle of teams in the middle of the points table. They play their next game at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, against Delhi Daredevils. They would do well to capitalise on Delhi’s loss to Rajasthan Royals by piling on the pressure.