Kings XI Punjab 183 for 8 (Mahmood 80, Marsh 63) beat Mumbai Indians 133 (Chawla 2-20, Mahmood 2-24, Gilchrist 1-0) by 50 runs
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On the last day of Adam Gilchrist's IPL career, another veteran, Azhar
Mahmood, scored 80 off 44 balls to give Kings XI Punjab a consolation
win over Mumbai Indians. Gilchrist, though, had the last word on the
night. When Mumbai needed 51 off the last over, Gilchrist asked Praveen
Kumar to keep wicket, and bowled offbreaks. Offbreak, to be more
precise, because Harbhajan - the last man because Dhawal Kulkarni wasn't
batting - lofted the first ball he bowled to long-on. Cue laughter,
celebration, joy, and from Gilchrist an improvised version of
Harbhajan's version of Gangnam-style. He also mimicked Kieron Pollard's
celebration.
The match held absolutely no bearing on the rest of the tournament.
Mumbai had already qualified in the top two, and Kings XI had already
been knocked out. Mumbai now go to Delhi to play Chennai Super Kings in
the first qualifier, and even if they lose it they get another shot at
making it to the final.
Assisting the veteran Mahmood was the Kings XI Punjab veteran, Shaun
Marsh, who scores a fifty every third IPL innings. Today's 63 off 47 was
his 17th in 49 efforts. Along with Mahmood he helped Kings XI recover
from the early troube of 6 for 2 in the third over. Marsh took the early
lead, hitting six fours in the Powerplay, reaching 28 off 20. He
dominated the strike too: Mahmood was yet to get off the mark.
When Mahmood did open up, he took on the best Mumbai bowler, Lasith
Malinga. A top-edged pull for six was followed by three fours, a slice
past point, a drive through cover, and a glance fine of fine leg. By now
6 for 2 had become 63 for 2 in eight overs.
Mumbai weren't helped by Dhawal Kulklarni's walking off with a back
trouble. They are already struggling with injury to Sachin Tendulkar.
Even Dwayne Smith hasn't played the last two games. The fifth bowler, a
combine of Kulkarni, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Glenn Maxwell,
went for 53 runs. Maxwell paid the worst price, going for 18 in the 13th
over with Mahmood hitting him for six, six and four in consecutive
deliveries.
In the next over, both the batsmen got reprieves, dropped by IPL
debutant Nathan Coulter-Nile and Harbhajan. Coulter-Nile came back to be
smacked for consecutive fours by Mahmood. The century was on for
Mahmood when he missed a Malinga full toss in the 18th over. Kings XI
got a satisfactory 27 off the last 16 balls.
Mumbai's non-regular openers, Maxwell and Aditya Tare fell inside the
first four overs. Ambati Rayudu, promoted because he generally doesn't
get to bat much, couldn't covert his start and gloved a bouncer through
to Gilchrist. A Dinesh Karthik duck later, it was down to regular Mumbai
saviours, Rohit and Pollard. Piyush Chawla bowled Rohit with a quicker
delivery, and Pollard fell under the pressure of rising asking rate.
Mahmood signed off the night with his 200th T20 wicket when he bowled
Coulter-Nile in the 19th over.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: Sidharth Monga
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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