Amidst reports of infighting in the Kings XI Punjab camp, the Murali Vijay led outfit produced a clinical display to beat defending champions Mumbai Indians by seven wickets with two overs to spare Visakhapatnam on Friday.


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Marcus Stoinis took four wickets in the Mumbai innings to restrict the total to 124. Chasing the low total, Punjab lost Hashim Amla ealy, but fifties from skipper Vijay and promoted Wriddhiman Saha negated Mumbai's chances.


The win gave KXIP a mathematical chance to qualify for the play-offs. But they will need very good run-rates. For MI, the job just gets tougher. They now need to win the next two games for a shot at the play-offs.


KINGS XI PUNJAB INNINGS; TARGET 125


Over 17 || Score 127/3 ( M Vijay 54; Gurkeerat 6)


A couple of wickets for Mumbai Indians but skipper Murali Vijay stood firm for a convincing seven-wicket win for Kings XI Punjab.


Wriddhiman Saha and Glenn Maxwell perished in Mitchell McClenaghan's third over, off successive deliveries, to give some anxious moments to the batting side.


WICKET: Wriddhiman Saha b Mitchell McClenaghan 56 (40b)


WICKET: Glenn Maxwell c Kieron Pollard b Mitchell McClenaghan 0 (1b 0x4)


But the next over, bowled by Tim Southee went for eight runs. And the match over.


Over 15 || Score 110/1 (M Vijay 48; W Saha 52)


Another good over for the batting side, with eight runs coming from Jasprit Bumrah's second over. A four off the last ball as Wriddhiman Saha reached his fifty, off 38 balls.


Over 14 || Score 102/1 (M Vijay 46; W Saha 46)


Another big over for the batting side as skipper Murali Vijay joined the the fun.


He started Krunal Pandya's final over with a six and a four off the first two balls. The six, hit over mid-wicket was pure power. A slog.


Then the four, a classic cricket shot through mid-wicket.


A single, then a dot followed. Wriddhiman Saha took a double and a single off the next two balls to make it a 14-run over.


And, also a 101-run stand from the two batsmen in 13.0 overs.


Over 13 || Score 88/1 (M Vijay 35; W Saha 43)


Harbhajan Singh continued for his fourth and final over. A double to Wriddhiman Saha to start the over, then a six. Saha stepped down the pitch and picked the ball from its pitch, and lofted over long-off. Confidence!


A single, then a dot ball, before a leg bye. A four to Saha to end the over. Saha executed a sweep shot against a delivery which pitched outside off.


14 runs from the over, and Harbhajan's figures read: 4-0-29-0.


Over 12 || Score 74/1 (M Vijay 35; W Saha 30)


Tim Southee returned for his third over. Good start with two singles off the first two balls, then a four to Wriddhiman Saha as the Kiwi missed the length allowing the batsman to swat over mid-wicket.


A single, then a wide.


Two dot balls to complete the eight-run over.


In the last five overs, KXIP have score 32 runs. Not great run-rate, but the 73 runs that Murali Vijay and Saha have added in the last 11 overs has all but taken the game away from MI.


Over 11 || Score 66/1 (M Vijay 34; W Saha 24)


Harbhajan Singh bowling in tandem with Krunal Pandya. The spin duo bowled for continues four overs. Five runs from the over — all singles, after a dot off the first ball to Wriddhiman Saha.


Kings XI Punjab need another 59 runs from 54 balls.


Over 10 || Score 61/1 (M Vijay 32; W Saha 21)


Krunal Pandya continued with his third over. Good, tidy spell from the 25-year-old all-rounder, until the last ball of the over.


Four runs off the first five balls, thanks to two single and a a double.


But the last ball went for a four as Murali Vijay drilled the tossed up delivery on middle over the bowler's head. Eight runs from the over.


Over 9 || Score 53/1 (M Vijay 27; W Saha 18)


Harbhajan Singh continued with his second over. A double to Wriddhiman Saha, who played it down fine leg. A leg bye, then a dot to Murali Vijay.


Then, KXIP skipper took a double, thanks to a clip towards fine  leg.


A single to end the six-run over. Vijay and Saha also completed a 50-run stand.


Over 8 || Score 47/1 (M Vijay 24; W Saha 16)


Krunal Pandya continued for his second over. A single to Wriddhiman Saha, then a dot ball before four singles.


Good over from the left arm spinner.


Over 7 || Score 42/1 (M Vijay 22; W Saha 13)


Mercurial Harbhajan Singh on for Mumbai Indians. Good over from the season campaigner, except four byes of the second ball. Murali Vijay missed the ball, and Jos Buttler behind the wicket too.


10 runs from the over.


Kings XI Punjab need another 83 runs from 13 overs.


Over 6 || Score 32/1 (M Vijay 19; W Saha 10)


Jasprit Bumrah on. A single to Murali Vijay to start the spell. A single, and a leg bye, then some good fielding from Krunal Pandya at third man restricted a good cut shot from Wriddhiman Saha to only a single.


A dot ball, then a wide outside off. A low full toss to Vijay. KXIP skipper failed to put away, but a single to end the over. 


Over 5 || Score 26/1 (M Vijay 17; W Saha 8)


Spin on Mumbai Indians. Krunal Pandya started with a single to Murali Vijay, then a four.


Wriddhiman Saha dismissed the short on led delivery with a pull shot over mid-wicket.


Pandya did well to complete the over with four dot balls.


Kings XI Punjab need 99 runs from 15 overs.


Over 4 || Score 21/1 (M Vijay 16; W Saha 4)


A dot ball the start over, then two classic shots — on either side of the wicket — from Murali Vijay. First a pull shot to punish a short delivery on leg, then a beautiful cover drive off a wide ball. Vijay stood tall and reached out to the line of the delivery for that cracking drive.


A dot ball, then a wide. A dot ball, and a single to end the 10-run over.


Mitchell McClenaghan struggled.


Over 3 || Score 11/1 (M Vijay 7; W Saha 4)


Tim Southee continued for his second over. Three dot balls to Murali Vijay, before a single towards square leg. A dot ball, the Wriddhiman Saha played probably the shot of the match — a sublime cover drive — two beat the close-in fielders at cover and extra-cover.


Five runs from the over.


Over 2 || Score 6/1 (M Vijay 6; W Saha 0)


Mitchell McClenaghan shared the new ball with hi New Zealand compatriot Tim Southee. Good one from the left-arm medium pacer. Five runs, which also included a four to Murali Vijay.


After two dot balls, Vijay managed to negate the extra bounce by climbing tall, and cut past point fielder.


A dot ball, and a single, then a dot ball followed.


Over 1 || Score 1/1 (M Vijay 1; W Saha 0)


Tim Southee provided the perfect start to Mumbai Indians' defence of a small total. A damning first over from the Kiwi quick.


A single to Murali Vijay to start the over, then four dot balls before the wicket of Hashim Amla. LBW. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena had not hesitation.


WICKET: Hashim Amla lbw b Tim Southee 0 (5b)


Wriddhiman Saha promoted to no.3.


It was a strange innings, wherein sixes outnumbered fours eight to five. Kieron Pollard top scored with 27 off 20 balls. For the fielding team, it was Marcus Stoinis. The Aussie all-rounder produced his best T20 figures 4-0-15-4.


MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS


Over 20 || Score 124/9 (Harbhajan Singh 14; J Bumrah 2)


Last over to Mohit Sharma, and Jarprit Bumrah on strike. The Mumbai last man played a control nudge towards third man off a good lenght delivery. A single.


Two dot balls to Harbhajan Singh as Mohit mixed up his deliveries well. But the fourth ball, another slower one, was picked well by Harbhajan for a six over deep mid-wicket. David Miller almost hurt himself attempting to pluck a catch out of thin air.


A dot ball, then a single to end the over. Eight runs, and Mohit's figures read 4-0-26-2.


Over 19 || Score 116/9 (Harbhajan Singh 7; J Bumrah 1)


Sandeep Sharama on for his last over. A single to Harbhajan Singh, then after a dot ball, got the wicket of Mitchell McClenaghan.


The Kiwi holed out at long-off. Good tumbling catch from David Miller.


WICKET: Mitchell McClenaghan c David Miller b Sandeep Sharma 4 (4b)


Last man Jasprit Bumrah arrived, and three runs from the over.


Sandeep's figures: 4-0-11-2.


Over 18 || Score 113/8 (Harbhajan Singh 5; M McClenaghan 4)


Mohit Sharma returned for his third over. A dot ball, then the wicket of Tim Southee. Straight to long-off fielder.


WICKET: Tim Southee c Gurkeerat Singh Mann b Mohit Sharma 1 (3b)


Harbhajan Singh hit the next ball for a four, through cover. A single then a dot ball to new man Mitchell McClenaghan.


The Kiwi then shuffled across, and played a deft ramp shot for a four over over short fine leg fielder


Nine runs and a wicket from the over.


Over 17 || Score 104/7 (Harbhajan Singh 0; T Southee 1)


A brilliant over from Marcus Stoinis. His best figures in IPL, 4-0-15-4.


Two wickets — those of big hitters Krunal Pandya and Kieron Pollard of successive deliveries — and seven runs from his last over.


A dot ball to Pandya to start the over, then a four over point. A double followed. Then the wicket, caught at deep midwicket.


WICKET: Krunal Pandya c Axar Patel b Marcus Stoinis 19 (12b)


Next ball, full and a good lenght. But Pollard completely missed it.


WICKET: Kieron Pollard b Marcus Stoinis 27 (20b)


Harbhajan Singh and Tim Southee are the new men.


Over 16 || Score 97/5 (K Pollard 27; K Pandya 13)


A good start the over for the batting side. Krunal Pandya knelt an swept flat. Result, a six over long-on.


A single, then Kieron Pollard played an intelligent shot, towards the vacant long-leg area. Ran three.


A dot ball, then a single to give the strike back the the big West Indian. And Pollard cam down and mishit. But still a six over long-on.


Another 17-run over. And the match is alive.


Thus Axar Patel ended his spell, for figures of 4-0-30-1.


Two fours and seven sixes in the innings. Strange!


Over 15 || Score 80/5 (K Pollard 18; K Pandya 5)


First glimpse of Kieron Pollard's hitting intentions today.


A single to Krunal Pandya to start the over, then Pollard hit his first six, over long-on. A single, then a dot.


Pandya ran down the fifth ball towards third man. Good fielding and only three runs. But the last ball went for another six as Pollard hit over the wide long-on.


Most expensive over of the innings. 17 runs from it. And KC Cariappa ended his spell with figures of 4-0-36-0.


Over 14 || Score 63/5 (K Pollard 5; K Pandya 1)


Marcus Stoinis on for his third over, and four leg byes to start. Kieron Pollard took a single off the next ball, then Jos Buttler holed out at long-off, where Gurkeerat Singh Mann completed the catch after initial jugglery.


WICKET: Jos Buttler c Gurkeerat Singh Mann b Marcus Stoinis 9 (10b)


Seven runs and a wicket from the over. Krunal Pandya is the new man.


TIME-OUT.


Over 13 || Score 56/4 (J Buttler 9; K Pollard 3)


Another tidy over from KC Cariappa. Three singles off the last three balls, after Kieron Pollard took four balls to open the scoring.


Over 12 || Score 53/4 (J Buttler 8; K Pollard 1)


Axar Patel on for his third over. Good start to the over, with a single off the first ball, and another single from the next four balls.


A lucky four through third man for Jos Buttler, and six runs from the over.


25 runs from the last five overs, and two wickets. It's KXIP's play.


Over 11 || Score 47/4 (J Buttler 3; K Pollard 0)


Marcus Stoinis returned for his second over, and a good one.


A dot, then two singles. Then the wicket of Nitish Rana. Full and wide, and Rana poked. Good catch behind the wickets by Wriddhiman Saha.


WICKET: Nitish Rana c Wriddhiman Saha b Marcus Stoinis 25 (28b)


New man Kieron Pollard walked down and was hit on the chest by a shorter but slower bouncer, and Glenn Maxwell at gully had a hearty laugh. The arrival of the West Indian was in fact welcomed by Maxwell with a mouthful.


Two runs and a wicket from the over.


Over 10 || Score 45/3 (N Rana 24; J Buttler 2)


KC Cariappa continued with his second over. A single to Jos Buttler off the first ball, the a six as hard-hitting Nitish Rana strode forward before lofting over cover. It covered some distance.


Good response from the leg spinner though. A single only from the remaining four balls, to make it a 8-run over.


Over 9 || Score 37/3 (N Rana 17; J Buttler 1)


Axar Patel returned for his second over, and got the wicket of Rohit Sharma. Clean-bowled. The Mumbai skipper wilted under the scoreboard pressure and tried to play a sweep shot, but the ball didn't turn and castled into his wickets.


WICKET: Rohit Sharma b Axar Patel 15 (24b)


TIME-OUT.


That happened off the fifth ball of the over. Jos Buttler is the new man. Three singles and a wicket from the over.


Over 8 || Score 34/2 (R Sharma 14; N Rana 16)


KC Cariappa on for KXIP. A great delivery to Rohit Sharma to start the spell. A good length delivery and with good spin, found a leading edge. The ball landed in front of Murali Vijay at cover.


A wide, which turned away sharply from left-handed Nitish Rana. Four dot balls, followed, then a huge six over deep mid-wicket.


Eight runs from the over.


Over 7 || Score 26/2 (R Sharma 13; N Rana 10)


In that power-play, Mumbiai Indians could managed only two boundaries — a four and a six . Least in all IPL.


And bowling change from Murali Vijay. Marcus Stoinis on.


The Aussie all-rounder was lucky to have hit for a four off his first ball, thanks to a good stop at gully by David Miller. Short and wide, Rohit Sharma timed well, but failed to beat Miller.


A single, then a dot, then a single.


Two leg byes off the fifth ball, and a dot to end the over.Five runs from the over.


Over 6 || Score 21/2 (R Sharma 11; N Rana 9)


Mohit Sharma returned for his second over, and a good start. A dot ball, then a single to Rohit Sharma.


Nitish Rana blocked the next two balls, before hooking the fifth ball for a huge six over backward square leg boundary.


A dot to end the 7-run over.


Over 5 || Score 14/2 (R Sharma 10; N Rana 3)


Sandeep Sharma continued with his third over on the troth. He has been the soul of Kings XI Punjab's bowling attack.


Three dot balls to Nitish Rana, then a single as the left-handed batsman kneeled to play a cut shot. A single more as Rohit Sharma played an over-pitched delivery towards long-on with a lofted drive.


A dot to end the over. Dot balls are mounting. Two runs from the over.


Over 4 || Score 12/2 (R Sharma 9; N Rana 2)


Another brilliant over from Kings XI Punjab. Axar Patel conceded four singles.


Rohit Sharma took a single off the first ball, than three more singles.


Patel managed to keep quite Mumbai skipper in the last two balls of the over.


Over 3 || Score 8/2 (R Sharma 7; N Rana 0)


Brilliant over from Sandeep Sharma. A single and the wicket of Ambati Rayudu.


Rohit Sharma took two balls to take a single, then Rayudu found himself undone by a brilliant in-swinging delivery, which pitched just outside of off and came back to breach the bat-pad defence.


WICKET: Ambati Rayudu b Sandeep Sharma 0 (3b)


Nitish Rana is the new man.


Over 2 || Score 7/1 (R Sharma 6; A Rayudu 0)


Mohit Sharma shared the new ball with Sandeep. More or less a similar first ball from the Sharmas' with Mohit starting with a swinging delivery — shaping away from Rohit Sharma.


Two dot balls, then a thick inside edge allowed Rohit to take a quick single. Then, Mohit missed the line and on the leg, first wide of the day.


The medium-pacer followed it up with a good delivery, on the off, and good length. Unmukt Chand, on the front foot, played it to mid-on fielder.


Then off a scrambled seam, Mohit managed to beat Chand. And wicket off the next ball. Holed out at at mid-on.


WICKET: Unmukt Chand c Gurkeerat Singh b MOhit Sharma 0 (4b)


Two runs and a wicket from the over. Ambati Rayudu, MI's leading scorer, is the new man.


Over 1 || Score 5/0 (R Sharma 5; U Chand 0)


Sandeep Sharma started the proceedings with a swinging delivery, on the leg, and Rohit Sharma flicked it for four runs.


The Kings XI Punjab opening bowler responded well with two dot balls, then a third one going for a single.


Then a single to Unmukt Chand, who is playing his match of the season. He replaced Parthiv Patel, who had a good time, scoring 81, against Punjab in the last match.


Teams warming-up, a while ago




Here are the XIs:


Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (capt.), Unmukt Chand, Ambati Rayudu, Nitish Rana, Kieron Pollard, Jos Buttler (wk), Krunal Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah


Kings XI Punjab: Murali Vijay (capt.), Hashim Amla, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Marcus Stoinis, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Axar Patel, Mohit Sharma, KC Cariappa, Sandeep Sharma


TOSS: Rohit Sharma won the toss, and Mumbai Indians will bat first against Kings XI Punjab. Murali Vijay said, he would have opted the same. Big news from the toss was, Unmukt for Parthiv for Mumbai; and Maxwell is back, Gurkeerat for Anureet.


Ahead of the toss, here are the possible XIs:


Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (capt.), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ambati Rayudu, Nitish Rana, Jos Buttler, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah


Kings XI Punjab: Murali Vijay (capt.), Hashim Amla, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), David Miller, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Axar Patel, Mohit Sharma, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma, KC Cariappa


Match officials:


Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena and CK Nandan
Third Umpire: Anil Chaudhary
Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama
Reserve Umpire: Rohan Pandit


PREVIEW: Having regrouped quickly after suffering an 85-run drubbing, Mumbai Indians will look to continue their winning ways when they lock horns with laggards Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Visakhapatnam today.


After being crushed by Sunrisers Hyderabad, defending champions Mumbai Indians got their acts together to get the better of Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets, and it revived their campaign.


Mumbai Indians, whose base was shifted from Mumbai to the eastern costal city of Visakhapatnam, have lost their first 'home game' at the new venue, but the Rohit Sharma-led outfit managed to win the next match at Bangalore ahead of today's crucial tie.


For the visiting team, the one-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore have denied back-to-back wins and also effectively ended their season. But still, with pride at stake, the Murali Vijay-led side will try to bow out in still.


As things stand now, MI are fifth in the IPL table with 12 points from six wins in 11 outings, while KXIP are at the bottom of the eight team competition with six points from 10 matches.


READ FULL PREVIEW HERE


 


FULL SQUADS


Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (capt.), Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Jos Buttler, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Jagadeesha Suchith, Tim Southee, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Gopal, R Vinay Kumar, Corey Anderson, Unmukht Chand, Marchant de Lange, Siddhesh Lad, Kishore Kamath, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Punia, Nitish Rana, Jitesh Sharma, Nathu Singh, Akshay Wakhare, Martin Guptill.


Kings XI Punjab: Murali Vijay (capt.), Hashim Amla, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Gurkeerat Singh, David Miller, Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Mohit Sharma, KC Cariappa, Sandeep Sharma, Anureet Singh, Armaan Jaffer, Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Rishi Dhawan, Mitchell Johnson, Nikhil Naik, Manan Vohra, Pradeep Sahu, Swapnil Singh, Shradul Thakur.


Welcome to our live coverage of the Match 43 of 2016 Indian Premier League between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, being played at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam.