Mumbai stand in way of Ponting’s IPL final dream

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Mumbai stand in way of Ponting’s IPL final dream

Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings have discovered they must beat powerhouse Mumbai Indians on Sunday if they are to reach the Indian Premier League final.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are already through to Tuesday’s final after *********** paceman Josh Hazlewood spearheaded an eight-wicket victory in Qualifier 1 over Punjab on Thursday, taking a devastating 3-21.

Punjab, whose *********** presence also includes Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis, who were both on the receiving end of Bengalura’s Thursday night’s heroics, must bounce back quickly from that stunning reverse in Sunday’s Qualifier 2.

But that won’t be easy against a Mumbai side with their tails up following an emphatic Eliminator victory over Gujarat Titans on Friday.

Electing to bat, five-time champions Mumbai racked up a commanding 5-228 after their frontline batters hit a combined 17 sixes.

Gujarat managed 6-208 in reply despite defiant knocks by opener Sai Sudharshan (80) and all-rounder Washington Sundar (48).

After Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya elected to bat, Jonny Bairstow, replacing Ryan Rickelton, smashed 47 off 22 ****** in his first match of the season in a blistering opening stand of 84 with Rohit Sharma.

Rohit, dropped twice early in his knock, struck 81 to punish Gujarat.

Suryakumar Yadav (33), Tilak Varma (25) and Pandya (22 not out) produced whirlwind cameos to take Mumbai past the 200-mark.

The chase was steep and Gujarat stuttered early in their reply losing captain Shubman Gill trapped lbw by Trent Boult in the opening over of the innings.

Kusal Mendis (20) fell hit wicket but Sudharsan, the tournament’s leading scorer, revived Gujarat’s chase with his sixth fifty of the tournament.

He found an able ally in Sundar who smashed Boult for back-to-back sixes to turn the pressure back on Mumbai.

Pandya brought back Jasprit Bumrah and the pace bowler slipped in a yorker between Sundar’s legs to flatten his leg stump.

South African Richard Gleeson bowled Sudharsan as Mumbai reclaimed control of the contest through their seamers.

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