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Turning Point: Bumrah's magic keeps MI in the hunt

May 17, 2018 11:53 IST

Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of KXIP's Marcus Stoinis

IMAGE: Jasprit Bumrah was magnificent at the death. Without his pin-point accuracy, Mumbai Indians would be out of the play-offs reckoning. Photograph: BCCI

Just when it looked like curtains for the Mumbai Indians, the defending champions survived to live another day.

Once again, it was the teacher's son from Vadodara, that mysterious practitioner of lethal magic at the death who ensured that Rohit Sharma's side ended Wednesday night an improbable fourth on the IPL points table.

Chasing 187 for victory, Kings XI Punjab lost Universe Boss in the 4th over.

That brought Aaron Finch to the crease, and, along with IPL-11 superstar K L Rahul, they kept the scorecard ticking. Finch and Rahul brought up their 50 run partnership in the 10th over.

The Kings XI batsmen then took the attack to Krunal Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan and Mayank Markande, taking 9 runs off each bowler, but just couldn't find the runs off Jasprit Bumrah.

 

Bumrah turned the game in Mumbai's favour in over 17.

First, he foxed Finch with a slower ball and sent back the Aussie for 46. Finch and Rahul had scored 111 runs together by then.

The same over, Bumrah took down Marcus Stoinis, caught by the wicket-keeper.

Rahul took 15 runs off Ben Cutting in the 18th over and with 23 needed off 12 balls, Bumrah did the job in style.

Not only did he have Rahul caught by Cutting at long off, he also gave away just 6 runs.

Punjab needed 17 off the last over, which they fell short of by 3 runs.

Bumrah's 4/15 was just what the Mumbai Indians needed to revive their floundering IPL-11 campaign.

Norma Godinho