IPL 2021 MI vs PBKS: Kieron Pollard lauds Saurabh Tiwary, says 'he was our backbone'

Mumbai Indians kept their hopes alive of qualifying for the IPL 2021 play-offs following a nail-biting win over Punjab Kings on Tuesday evening. Mumbai Indians looked down and out after losing some early wickets, but Saurabh Tiwary played a match-winning knock alongwith fireworks at the end from Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard ensured the team's wicket. 

IPL 2021: Kieron Pollard on Saurabh Tiwary match-winning knock in MI vs PBKS match

During the post-match presentation, Kieron Pollard was full of praise for Saurabh Tiwary and his match-winning effort with the bat. When been asked about Saurabh Tiwary's performance, Pollard said,  “Every time he’s gotten an opportunity for us, more often than not, coming out and churning out numbers of batting in those crunch situations. And that is a sign of a guy who’s focused on what he needs to do, sometimes he misses out for invariable reasons, but that’s the nature of team sports,"

MI vs PBKS match highlights

Batting first Punjab Kings got off to a poor start with Mandeep Singh (15) dismissed by Krunal Pandya trapping him in front of the wicket. Kieron Pollard then gave Punjab Kings a huge blow by dismissing  Chris Gayle after which he picked up skipper KL Rahul for his 300th wicket in T20s after the batsman pulled a short of length delivery straight to Bumrah at short fine leg.

Bumrah then bowled yorker to trap Nicholas Pooran in front of wicket as Punjab slipped to 48 for four in 8th over. Markram and Hooda then kept the scoreboard ticking, picking up singles of Chahar and occasional boundaries to take Punjab to 90 for 4 in 14 overs. Punjab Kings looked to get quick runs at the end but never got the momentum going as Harpreet Brar struggled to negotiate the variations of Bumrah and Coulter-Nile in the death overs. Punjab Kings could only manage 135 runs to wn.

Chasing 136 to win, Ravi Bishnoi gave Punjab kings a positive start by getting rid of Rohit Sharma (8) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in successive deliveries to leave MI tottering at 16 for two. SAURABH Tiwary and Quinton de Kock (27) took the team to 30 for 2 in the powerplay.  Tiwary eased the pressure with a boundary at the cover-point area, before picking up another four off Nathan Ellis.

Dropped by Aiden Markram at the boundary line in 8th over, Tiwary danced down the wicket and deposited Harpreet over mid-wicket for a maximum to bring up the 50. De Kock, who was looking good, lost his bearing in the 10th over as he dragged one on to his stumps, immediately after pulling Mohammed Shami for a four as MI slumped to 62 for 3.

Tiwary and Hardik Pandya kept MI in the hunt but runs dried up with Arshdeep Singh taking the pace off but Harpreet dropped the India allrounder to add to his frustration. Needing 52 off 36, Tiwary clobbered Bishnoi over mid-wicket but he was soon removed by Nathan Ellis.

Hardik then unleashed a four and six in two balls off Shami to keep MI in the hunt. Needing 29 in the last three overs, Pollard blasted one across the at extra cover and then deposited the next one over long-off. Hardik then exploded in the 19th over bowled by Shami as he sent a wide delivery across the boundary and then pulled one across the midwicket before heaving one over long-on to end the contest.

(With PTI inputs)