IPL 9: Kings Rattle Mumbai

Medium pacer Marcus Stoinis led the way with four wickets as a disciplined Kings XI Punjab restricted Mumbai Indians to a modest 124/9 in their Indian Premier League cricket match here on Friday.

Stoinis returned brilliant figures of 4/15 in his full quota of four overs after Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma elected to bat.

Mumbai Indians were off to a disastrous start, losing two wickets for just eight runs on the board within the third over of the innings.

Playing in place of Parthiv Patel, Unmukt Chand could not make the rare opportunity count as he got out to a terrible shot, giving an easy catch at mid-on off the bowling of Mohit Sharma while trying to whip a length ball into the leg side.

Chand failed to open his account. Ambabti Rayudu was done in by a delivery that swung in prodigiously and hit the off and middle stumps. Rayudu, too, was dismissed for nought, the bowler being seamer Sandeep Sharma.

Mumbai Indians were dealt a body blow when they lost the in-form Rohit, bowled by left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Rohit made 15 off 24 balls with a lone boundary.

The reigning champions sank deeper as they lost Nitish Rana (25) followed by the big wicket of Jos Buttler (9). Stoinis got both the wickets to leave Mumbai reeling at 61/5 in the 14th over. Rana struck three sixes while facing 28 balls.

However, MI still had the firepower of Kiron Pollard and the burly West Indian did not disappoint his team, smashing a flurry of sixes. MI gained some momentum by scoring 17 runs in the 16th over bowled by Axar.

Scoreboard Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma b Patel 15, U. Chand c Gurkeerat b Mohit 0, A. Rayudu b Sandeep 0, N. Rana c Saha b Stoinis 25, J. Buttler c Gurkeerat b Stoinis 9, K. Pollard b Stoinis 27, Krunal Pandya c Patel b Stoinis 19, Harbhajan Singh (not out) 14, T. Southee c Gurkeerat b Mohit 1, M. McClenaghan c Miller b Sandeep 4, J. Bumrah (not out) 2. Extras: (lb6, w2) 8. Total: (for 9 wkts, in 20 overs) 124. FoW: 1-7, 2-8, 3-36, 4-47, 5-61, 6-103, 7-103, 8-104, 9-114. Bowling: Sandeep 4-0-11-2, Mohit 4-0-26-2 (1w), Patel 4-0-30-1, Stoinis 4-0-15-4, Cariappa 4-0-36-0 (1w)