The China Mail - Punjab down Mumbai despite De Kock ton

De Kock marked his return to the Mumbai team for the first time since 2021 by becoming the first overseas batter to record hundreds for three different sides as the home team posted 195-6 at the Wankhede Stadium. De Kock only got a look-in because Rohit Sharma was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Alongside Naman Dhir, the left-handed opener put on 122 for the third wicket, Dhir making the most of being dropped by Yuzvendra Chahal on 10 to go on to post 50.

De Kock, who drove his first ball from compatriot Marco Jansen over cover for six and carried his bat, remained unbeaten on 112 off 60 balls, including eight fours and seven sixes.

With Mumbai on course to top 200, Punjab fought back at the death through pacers Arshdeep Singh, who took three wickets, and Jansen, and a spectacular catch facilitated by the brilliance of Shreyas and completed by Xavier Bartlett to account for Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya.

Prabhsimran and fellow opener Priyansh Arya took 21 off the first over of the chase from Deepak Chahar before Afghanistan's Allah Ghazanfar dismissed Arya and Cooper Connolly in quick succession.

But Prabhsimran, put down at short third-man by Jasprit Bumrah when he was on 11, thwarted those designs with a typically counter-punching second successive half-century. Prabhsimran's blistering unbeaten 39-ball 80 contained 11 fours and two sixes.

Alongside him, Shreyas continued his excellent start to the tournament with a third straight fifty.

Worryingly for Mumbai, who slumped to their fourth consecutive loss, Bumrah went wicketless for the fifth match in a row, conceding 41 runs in his four overs.

With their pace spearhead rendered ineffective, Mumbai were pummelled by Prabhsimran and Shreyas, who added 139 in only 67 deliveries before the latter fell against the run of play, smartly caught by Naman running in from deep mid-wicket and diving forward.

Marcus Stoinis then came to the crease and, with his unbeaten 10 off five deliveries, helped Punjab over the line as they remain the only unbeaten side in the IPL.

U.Feng--ThChM