Mumbai Indians became the third team in this IPL season to defend a total as they got to their third win of the season by defeating Kings XI Punjab. With scintillating individual performaces by Parthiv Patel 81(58) and Amabati Rayudu 65(37) MI posted a challenging score of 189/6. KXIP could just manage 164/7 at the end of their innings as MI put in a dominating performance.

Chasing a stiff total, the home side did not get off to one of their best starts losing both their openers in the first 5 overs. Shaun Marsh and Glenn Maxwell had an uphill task in hand as they slowly tried to rebuild their innings. The two tried to salvage the KXIP innings with a partnership of 89 runs before Marsh was dismissed by Southee for 45(34). David Miller and Maxwell couldn”t score much against the duo of Bumrah and McClenaghan who bowled brilliantly in the death overs. Tim Southee – 28/2(4), McClenaghan – 32/2 (4), Bumrah 26/3 (4).

Earlier in the evening KXIP won the toss and put MI in to bat. Even after the close loss against DD they came in with an unchanged squad. KXIP struck in their second delivery as Rohit Sharma nicked one to the keeper. Parthiv Patel was joined by Amabati Rayudu and the two played a game of caution and aggression. As they say, fortunes favour the brave; both the batsmen were rewarded with additional lives. Patel was caught on the leg-side boundary off a pull shot but was awarded a free hit instead as Johnson had over-stepped. Rayudu too got a lifeline when he was dropped at 32 by Axar Patel at deep mid-wicket. These lapses proved very costly for Kings XI as Patel and Rayudu stitched a partnership off 137 from 86 balls. It looked as if MI will go well beyond 200 but a tight last over from Mohit Sharma helped KXIP restrict MI to 189.

MI will now be travelling back home to face the KKR challenge on 28th April. It will be interesting to see the second round of fixtures as the tournament moves in to the stage where every team struggles to be consistent and MI is known to make the most of it.