Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional bowling performance propelled Mumbai Indians to a thrilling 9-run victory over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Thursday. Bumrah’s three-wicket haul proved decisive in restricting Punjab to 182/9 in pursuit of Mumbai’s 192/4.
Bumrah’s impact was evident from the outset as he dismissed Rilee Rossouw and Sam Curran in his opening over. The right-arm pacer’s ability to swing the new ball effectively put Punjab on the back foot. He returned in the middle overs to remove Shashank Singh, who had threatened to take the game away from Mumbai.
In the latter stages of the chase, Bumrah’s tight bowling in the 17th over, conceding just three runs, proved crucial in stifling Punjab’s momentum. Ashutosh Sharma’s valiant 61 was not enough to prevent Mumbai from securing their third win of the season.
After the match, Bumrah acknowledged the challenges bowlers face in the T20 format due to restrictions and deeper batting line-ups. “This format is a little difficult for bowlers, with time restrictions and impact player rules. Batting lineup becomes deeper and deeper,” he said.
As a senior player, Bumrah emphasized the importance of guiding his younger teammates. “I do relay the message to the bowlers whenever I can. But you also don’t want to deliver too many messages in the heat of the moment,” he added.
Mumbai’s victory lifted them to seventh place in the points table, while Punjab slipped to ninth after another close defeat.