MOHALI: A blistering century – the first of Pepsi IPL 2014 – by Lendl Simmons saw the Mumbai Indians register a big seven-wicket away win over table-toppers Kings XI Punjab.
Chasing a 157-run target, MI were guided by the flamboyant Simmons, whose 61-ball unbeaten knock saw him strike 14 fours and two big hits.
As a result of the win, MI now have 10 points from 12 games and are placed fifth on the points table, and more importantly, are still in the race for a Playoffs spot.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma won the toss and asked KXIP to take first strike at Mohali.
However, Virender Sehwag (17) gave the hosts a flying start. He helped plunder 23 runs off the first two overs, before getting run-out in the third.
Despite the early loss, Manan Vohra continued his good run in Pepsi IPL 2014, and he had Shaun Marsh giving him great company too.
Together, the duo took the KXIP score to 48 for one at the end of the powerplay. They added 62 runs off 43 balls as they regularly dispatched the ball to and over the fence. However, their partnership ended when Krishmar Santokie got rid of Marsh (30) in the 10th over.
Capitalising on the slight shift in momentum, Shreyas Gopal then dealt a massive double-blow.
The young leggie first cleaned up Vohra (36) and then held on to Glenn Maxwell’s (2) catch off his own bowling in the space of three deliveries. AGENCIES
KINGS XI PUNJAB
V Sehwag (run out-Kumar) 17
M Vohra b Gopal 36
S E Marsh c Pollard b Santokie 30
G J Maxwell c&b Gopal 2
G J Bailey c Rayudu b Bumrah 39
W P Saha (run out-Rayudu) 3
A R Patel c Sharma b Kumar 6
R Dhawan (not out) 14
B E Hendricks b Bumrah 0
Shivam Sharma (not out) 1
Extras (LB-5, W-3) 8
Total (for 8 wkts in 20 overs) 156
Did not bat: Sandeep Sharma.
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-87, 3-92, 4-93, 5-105, 6-116, 7-154, 8-155.
Bowling: P Kumar 4-0-20-1 (1w); K Santokie 4-0-40-1; J J Bumrah 4-0-31-2; P P Ojha 4-0-28-0 (2w); S Gopal 4-0-32-2.
MUMBAI INDIANS
L M P Simmons (not out) 100
M E K Hussey b Patel 6
A T Rayudu c Sehwag b Dhawan 17
R G Sharma c Sandeep Sharma b Hendricks 18
K A Pollard (not out) 8
Extras (W-10) 10
Total (for 3 wkts in 19 overs) 159
Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-111, 3-148.
Bowling: Sandeep Sharma 3-0-37-0 (1w); B E Hendricks 4-0-33-1 (3w); A R Patel 4-0-27-1 (1w); R Dhawan 4-0-30-1 (1w); Shivam Sharma 4-0-32-0.
