IPL 2023: Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar help Mumbai chase down big target

SPO_230503 ISHAN-1683138244586 — Mumbai Indians' Ishan Kishan plays a shot during the Indian Premier League match against Punjab Kings in Mohali on Wednesday. Image Credit: AFP

Mohali: Indian stars Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav smashed blistering half-centuries to help Mumbai Indians chase down 215 in a six-wicket IPL win over Punjab Kings on Wednesday.

Kishan (75) and Suryakumar (66) put on a key third-wicket partnership of 116 before Tim David and Tilak Varma steered the team home with seven balls to spare in the second match of the day in Mohali.

The left-handed Varma smashed the winning six in his 10-ball 26, and David, who starred in his team’s previous match, made 19 as the two combined in an unbeaten stand of 38.

Boosting Mumbai's chances

The batting effort boosted Mumbai’s chances of making the play-offs and trumped an unbeaten 82 by Punjab’s Liam Livingstone.

Mumbai switched places with Punjab to be sixth in the 10-team table led by holders Gujarat Titans.

SKY — Suryakumar Yadav, who is returning to form, struck a flurry of fours and sixes to make the chase easier. Image Credit: AFP

Mumbai lost skipper Rohit Sharma for a duck in the first over of their chase and impact sub Nathan Ellis sent back fellow Australian Cameron Green for 23.

The left-handed Kishan and Suryakumar, who has recently hit form after a bad start this season, turned the match around with a flurry of fours and sixes.

Leaping catch

Suryakumar, or SKY as he is fondly called, raised his second successive fifty in 23 balls with two sixes and two fours off Punjab’s expensive England import Sam Curran.

Arshdeep Singh cut short Suryakumar’s stay with a leaping catch at short thirdman off Ellis and then turned up with his left-arm pace to send back Kishan but leaked 66 runs.

Varma and David once again ensured a second straight win for the IPL powerhouse with five titles.

SPO_230503 PUNJAB-1683138242365 — Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma shared an unbroken 119-run partnership to take Punjab past the 200-run mark. Image Credit: Source: Punjab Kings Twitter

Unbroken partnership

Punjab rode on an unbroken 119-run partnership between Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma (49) to post 214-3.

Livingstone hit the opposition bowlers to all parts of the ground in his 42-run knock and was especially severe on England teammate Jofra Archer, hitting the Mumbai pace bowler for three sixes in an over.

Livingstone later revealed he had lunch with Archer before the game and was prepared for the challenge.

Archer returned his most expensive IPL figures of 0-56.

Chennai-Lucknow split points

In the first match of the doube-header, rain forced Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings to share the points.

Ayush Badoni scored 59 not out off 33 balls to help Lucknow reach 125-7 in 19.2 overs before play was halted by a heavy shower. After a delay of more than 90 minutes the game was called, the first washout of the 2023 IPL season.

The start of play was also delayed by a wet outfield after Chennai won the toss and opted to field.