Punjab Kings set up IPL final against RCB

Ahmedabad, Qualifier 2, Indian Premier League

Mumbai Indians 203-6 (20 overs): Suryakumar 44 (26), Varma 44 (29), Azmatullah 2-43

Punjab Kings 207-5 (19 overs): Shreyas 87* (41), Wadhera 48 (29), Ashwani 2-55

By five wickets, the Punjab Kings won.

With victory over Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won their first Indian Premier League final in 11 years by winning 87-run unbeaten.

With an over to spare, Shreyas clinched a five-wicket victory by smashing Ashwani Kumar into the stands and chasing 204 to win.

Mumbai posted a score of 203-6 in their 20 overs after the match had begun in Ahmedabad after it had been raining for over two hours. Jonny Bairstow scored 38 off 24 balls while Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav each scored 44.

The final, which will take place on Tuesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, will feature Kings and Bengaluru.

“I adore such big events,” said Shreyas, the match’s winner.

No overs were lost in the toss, but Punjab did so before the rain started.

Before Varma and Bairstow combined for 51 runs, Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis removed India opener Rohit Sharma for just eight when play finally started.

Mumbai was in a good position before both fell in three deliveries, thanks to another strong partnership between Varma and Suryakumar, worth 72.

However, Naman Dhir’s 37 off of 18 balls gave the five-time champions a challenging total.

With 38 off 21 balls, including 20 from India’s fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, Australia wicketkeeper Josh Inglis set up Punjab.

However, when Inglis was taken out by Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya, the team were a distant favorite after Nehal Wadhera scored 48, with Kings needing 48 from 26 balls.

However, Shreyas kept his side in the lead and he flicked the switch to smash four sixes in the 19th over in a clinical finish after needing 23 runs off the final two overs.

The first qualifier match saw RCB take eight wickets to defeat Kings in the final match.

In the group stage, both teams scored 19 points, with Kings only managing to hold the top spot in terms of net-run rates.