Parthiv Patel top-scored with an enterprising 58-ball 81 to power Mumbai Indians to a competitive 189 for six in their Indian Premier League match against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Monday.
Invited to bat, Mumbai Indians rode on Patel’s knock, his best in IPL, and Ambati Rayudu’s 65 off 37 balls to record their highest score against Kings XI Punjab in the cash-rich league.
Jos Buttler blazed his way to 23 off 13 balls with the help of three fours and a six. Patel smashed 10 fours and two sixes, while Rayudu hit four boundaries and as many maximums.
The total could have been more had it not been for Mohit Sharma’s brilliant last over in which he conceded just four runs. Mohit was the most successful bowler for KXIP with figures of 3/38, two of them coming in that final over.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians were dealt a body blow in the first over itself with nothing on the board, when medium pacer Sandeep Sharma had skipper Rohit Sharma caught behind by Nikhil Naik with his second delivery.
Patel and Rayudu ensured there was no further setback for the next 15 overs, as they put on 137 runs runs for the second wicket till Rayudu was dismissed by Axar Patel.
Rayudu was lucky to get a life when Axar dropped an absolute sitter at deep midwicket off the bowing of Pardeep Sahu. Rayudu was batting on 33 then.
During the rebuilding phase, the two batsmen mixed caution with aggression and helped their team to safety before opening up to play freely.
Even as Rayudu smashed Glenn Maxwell over long-on for a maximum to up the ante, Patel followed suit and flicked Sahu over long-on for a six in the 11th over at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium.
Rayudu then hit Axar for a straight six and a four through the cover region. Rayudu got to his half century in 31 balls, while Patel reached the landmark a little later after facing 41 balls.
Patel followed that by hitting Mohit Sharma for two boundaries, and then sent a full-pitched Mitchell Johnson delivery through cover for a four. He did not stop there as Johnson was soon lofted over midwicket for another boundary.
Rayudu then once again got into the act, striking Axar for two towering sixes to increase MI’s run rate. However, going for one too many, Rayudu holed out to Manan Vohra at deep midwicket.
Patel finally got out in the 19th over off a sharp Johnson delivery.