PBKS Crush MI by 7 Wickets as Prabhsimran, Iyer Shine in Run Chase

With this win, PBKS have moved to the top spot, with four wins and a no result, with nine points, dethroning the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). MI is at the ninth spot, with a win and four losses.

Put to bat first by PBKS, MI reached 195/6 courtesy a 122-run stand between Quinton de Kock (112* in 60 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes) and Naman Dhir (50 in 31 balls, with three fours and three sixes). Arshdeep Singh (3/22) was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS.

Despite some early wickets, Prabhsimran Singh (80* in 39 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes) and ever-consistent Iyer (66 in 35 balls, with five fours and four sixes) took PBKS to the target in 16.3 overs.

During the run-chase of 196 runs, PBKS was off to a fine start as Prabhsimran smashed two boundaries against Deepak Chahar while Priyansh Arya smoked him for a lofted drive for six over deep backward point and a four, bringing 21 runs in the first over.

Priyansh also collected a four against Jasprit Bumrah, but was cleaned up by Chahar for a nine-ball 15, with Allah Ghazanfar getting him with the help of an assist from Chahar. PBKS was 27/1 in 2.2 overs.

Cooper Connolly looked in good touch, scoring a four and a six against Hardik Pandya and a six against Ghazanfar, but Afghanistan spinner got him for a 12-ball 17. PBKS was 45/2 in 4.3 overs.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer started off with a four on his first ball, and PBKS reached the 50-run mark in 4.5 overs.

With four each by Iyer and a Prabhsimran, Bumrah's final over of powerplay leaked nine runs, taking them to 61/2 in six overs.

Prabhsimran continued to be the aggressor against pace, bringing up the 100-run mark in 9.5 overs. Halfway through, PBKS was 100/2 with Iyer (21*) and Prabhsimran (44*) unbeaten.

Shardul Thakur was taken to cleaners in his second over, smashed for two fours by Prabhsimran and a six over deep extra-cover by Iyer. Prabhsimran reached his second fifty of the tournament in 23 balls, with eight fours and a six. 18 runs came from Shardul's over.

Iyer kept the tempo going, collecting a couple of fours against Ghazanfar, showing his preference for spin, while Prabhsimran hit Bumrah for a four and six, bringing up the 100-run stand in 51 balls.

Bumrah's wicketless run stretched to a total of 146 runs, as Iyer scored two boundaries, reaching his third successive fifty in 31 balls, with five fours and two sixes.

In 16th over, Iyer smashed two sixes against Shardul, one over deep midwicket and one over long-off. But Shardul had the last laugh, getting his Mumbai teammate for 35-ball 66, with five fours and four sixes. PBKS was 184/3 in 15.3 overs.

PBKS ended their run-chase at 198/3 in 16.3 overs, with Prabhsimran (80* in 39 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes) and Marcus Stoinis (10*) unbeaten.

Ghazanfar (2/32) was the pick of the bowlers for MI.

Earlier, a brilliant century from Quinton de Kock and his century partnership with Naman Dhir helped MI reach 195/6 in 20 overs.

PBKS, put to bowl first by MI, was off to a fine start with Arshdeep Singh removing both Ryan Rickelton (2) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in the same over. MI was 12/2 in 2.2 overs.

Naman Dhir, promoted to number four started to build a partnership with Quinton de Kock, scoring 15 runs against Vijaykumar Vyshak in the final over of the powerplay by hitting him for two fours and a six. MI at powerplay was 48/2 in six overs.

With Naman's six over long-off, MI reached the 50-run mark in 6.1 overs. Later in the same over, Quinton took down Yuzi Chahal for a four and six, looting 19 runs and bringing up the 50-run stand in 26 balls.

De Kock continued attacking pace and spin alike, reaching his 25th IPL fifty in 28 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.

At the end of 10 overs, MI was 97/2, with Naman (38*) and QDK (51*) having built a solid platform.

The battering continued for PBKS in the 11th and 12th overs, bowled by Chahal and Xavier Bartlett, bringing up the 100-run stand in 54 balls.

With a single against Shashank Singh, Naman reached his first IPL fifty in 29 balls, with three fours and three sixes.

Shashank's golden arm ended the 122-run stand for the third wicket, removing Dhir for a 31-ball 50 (with three fours and three sixes). MI was 134/3 in 13.4 overs.

At the end of 15 overs, MI was 145/3, with de Kock (82*) and Hardik Pandya (3*) unbeaten. With twin sixes against Shashank, de Kock sailed into 90s. A boundary against Bartlett helped him reach his third IPL ton in the 17th over, with seven fours and three sixes.

Hardik looked in good touch, but a relay catch from Shreyas Iyer and Bartlett removed him for 12-ball 14. MI was 175/4 in 17.3 overs. Marco Jansen got his first wicket.

Sherfane Rutherford's stumps were rattled by Arshdeep for one run, leaving MI at 182/5 in 18.5 overs. In the final over, Tilak was run out by Vyshak for eight. MI ended their innings at 195/6, with QDK (112* in 60 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes) and Mayank Rawat (0*) unbeaten.

Arshdeep (3/22) was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS, while Shashank and Marco Jansen managed one wicket each.

Brief Scores: MI: 195/6 (Quinton de Kock 112*, Naman Dhir 50, Arshdeep Singh 3/22) lost to PBKS: 198/3 in 16.3 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 80*, Shreyas Iyer 66, AM Ghazanfar 2/32).

- ANI