Saha and Maxwell
Saha and Maxwell

IPL: Kings XI beat Mumbai to keep play-off hopes alive


Kings XI Punjab hit the highest IPL total of the season as they kept their play-off hopes alive with a thrilling seven-run victory over table-topping Mumbai Indians.

Match scores


Kings XI Punjab won by 7 runs 

Kings XI inns: 230-3 (20/20 overs. Saha 93 no, Maxwell 47; Bumrah 1-24)

Mumbai inns: 223-6 (20/20 overs. Simmons 59, Pollard 50; Sharma 2-57)

Match report


Kings XI Punjab hit the highest IPL total of the season as they kept their play-off hopes alive with a thrilling seven-run victory over table-topping Mumbai Indians.

Wriddhiman Saha top-scored with a superb 93 not out from 55 balls while Glenn Maxwell smashed five sixes in his 21-ball knock of 47.

In response, Mumbai made their highest-ever total as Lendl Simmons hit 59 from 32 balls and Kieron Pollard finished unbeaten on 50 from 24 balls, but still came up just short.

Kings XI set off at a blistering pace after being put in to bat, Martin Guptill setting the tone by hitting the first ball of the innings for four.

He had made 36 from 18 balls by the time he departed but the run rate continued to rise as Maxwell joined Saha in the middle.

The Australian launched Harbhajan Singh into the crowd three times in the ninth over as the rate soared to almost 13.5 an over.

Jasprit Bumrah (1-24) bowled Maxwell in the 11th but Saha remained and, with the help of Shaun Marsh (25 from 16 balls), ensured there was little respite for the Mumbai bowlers before Axar Patel (19no from 13 balls) hit the final ball of the innings for what proved to be a vital maximum.

Simmons and Parthiv Patel gave Mumbai just the start they needed as they attempted what would have been a record IPL chase, putting on 99 in less than nine overs.

However, they fell in successive overs and when Nitish Rana was dismissed the hosts were 121-4, requiring 110 from just 44 balls.

Mumbai were not deterred though as Pollard and Hardik Pandya dismantled the Kings XI attack, Matt Henry suffering the worst of the damage with 27 coming off his second over.

Sandeep Sharma accounted for Pandya but there was a seamless transition as his replacement in the middle Karn Sharma bludgeoned 19 from six balls.

Mumbai were left needing 16 from the final over and there was controversy after the first ball as Pollard was called for one short as he looked to keep the strike, with suggestions that he had done so deliberately.

Kings XI were further aggrieved when he hit the following ball for six, his fifth of the innings, but from there on Mohit Sharma was flawless, conceding just one more from the over to seal an exhilarating win.

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