Iyer powers Punjab past Mumbai and into IPL final against Bengaluru
Chasing 204 for victory in a rain-delayed last playoff, Punjab rode Iyer's 41-ball knock, laced with five fours and eight sixes, to achieve their target with six balls to spare in Ahmedabad.
Iyer hit the winning six as Punjab reached their second IPL final. It will be played at the same venue -- the world's biggest cricket stadium -- on Tuesday.
The final will produce a new IPL winner with both Bengaluru, with star batter Virat Kohli, and Punjab in hunt for their first title in the T20 tournament.
Punjab lost opener Prabhsimran Singh for six but England's Josh Inglis set up the chase with quick scoring as he and left-handed opener Priyansh Arya put together 42 runs in 18 balls.
Arya fell for 20 and Inglis for 38 after three fours and two sixes.
Iyer and left-handed Nehal Wadhera, who hit 48, turned the tide in overs 13 and 14 as the captain smashed England left-arm quick Reece Topley for three straight sixes.
Wadhera departed in the 16th over to raise Mumbai's hopes, but Iyer stood firm as he finished with a masterclass.
The second qualifier began two hours and 15 minutes late due to persistent drizzle after the toss.
Punjab elected to field first before rain forced the players indoors for more than two hours. Officials did not cut any overs when play resumed.
Five-time champions Mumbai, who posted 203-6, lost veteran opener Rohit Sharma for eight off Marcus Stoinis in the third over but England's Jonny Bairstow took on the opposition bowlers with regular boundaries.
Bairstow, who joined Mumbai ahead of the playoffs and played a key role in their win in the eliminator against Gujarat Titans, made 38 in a 51-run stand with the left-handed Varma.
Medium-pace bowler Vijaykumar Vyshak dismissed Baristow, who attempted to play a scoop shot but fell caught behind.
Tilak Varma kept up pace with Suryakumar Yadav as the pair put on 72 runs. Both made 44 each.
The two fell in the space of three deliveries, but number six Naman Dhir hit an 18-ball 37 to boost the total, which in the end proved insufficient.
The league was extended by nine days after being paused due to a military conflict between India and Pakistan and some overseas players including Mumbai imports Will Jacks (England) and Ryan Rickelton (South Africa) left before the playoffs.
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Punjab stand in way of Kohli's IPL dream as new winners await
No matter which team prevails at the 132,000-capacity venue in Ahmedabad it will be a first -- neither Punjab nor Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won the IPL since it launched in 2008. Punjab booked their place in the decider with a five-wicket victory over five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Sunday. Shreyas Iyer played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 87. Kohli and Bengaluru will have a psychological edge after thrashing Punjab by eight wickets at the start of the playoffs last week. It is the fourth time that Kohli and his team have reached the final of cricket's richest tournament, but they have never been able to take that last step. The vast majority in attendance will be cheering on Kohli, the 36-year-old superstar batsman and icon to Indian cricket fans. Kohli, who last month retired from Test cricket alongside Rohit Sharma, has again been Bengaluru's go-to batsman with 614 runs, including eight half-centuries, in 14 innings this season. He has made no attempt to hide his desperation to win the IPL at the 18th attempt and add it to a long list of accolades that includes two World Cup crowns. He has talked about his "heartbreak" of failing to win the IPL, and celebrated last week's win against Punjab saying: "One more to go." Punjab's fast bowling coach James Hopes said Monday his team will be "recovering and getting mentally prepared" for what he anticipates will be a "pretty big crowd, and a pretty big pro-Kohli crowd as well". Sensational Iyer As well as Kohli, Bengaluru boast the significant threat of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. The 34-year-old returned following a shoulder injury and a stint back home to put in a man-of-the-match performance in the win over Punjab in the qualifier. He returned figures of 3-21 to help bundle Punjab out for 101. Hazlewood spearheads a seam-bowling attack alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-armer Yash Dayal. Punjab, coached by Australia great Ricky Ponting, recovered from defeat to win the rain-delayed second qualifier in Ahmedabad. Skipper Iyer, who cost $3.17 million in November's auction, is narrowly behind Kohli in the batting charts with 603 runs from 16 innings. His latest chase masterclass off 41 balls, laced with five fours and eight sixes, is a reminder that he is lethal on his day. "I love such big occasions," Iyer said after the win over Mumbai. "I always say to myself and my colleagues that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, and you'll get the best results." Former Australia medium-pace bowler Hopes said that Iyer "doesn't get flustered very easily". "He knows what he has to do and he's prepared to take that risk," said Hopes. "He is a sensational captain and a sensational player," he added. Punjab openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are in good form, and they have another potential match-winner in Australia's Josh Inglis. All-rounders Marcus Stoinis from Australia and Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai can also threaten Kohli's long-awaited dream.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Iyer powers Punjab past Mumbai and into IPL final against Bengaluru
Chasing 204 for victory in a rain-delayed last playoff, Punjab rode Iyer's 41-ball knock, laced with five fours and eight sixes, to achieve their target with six balls to spare in Ahmedabad. Iyer hit the winning six as Punjab reached their second IPL final. It will be played at the same venue -- the world's biggest cricket stadium -- on Tuesday. The final will produce a new IPL winner with both Bengaluru, with star batter Virat Kohli, and Punjab in hunt for their first title in the T20 tournament. Punjab lost opener Prabhsimran Singh for six but England's Josh Inglis set up the chase with quick scoring as he and left-handed opener Priyansh Arya put together 42 runs in 18 balls. Arya fell for 20 and Inglis for 38 after three fours and two sixes. Iyer and left-handed Nehal Wadhera, who hit 48, turned the tide in overs 13 and 14 as the captain smashed England left-arm quick Reece Topley for three straight sixes. Wadhera departed in the 16th over to raise Mumbai's hopes, but Iyer stood firm as he finished with a masterclass. The second qualifier began two hours and 15 minutes late due to persistent drizzle after the toss. Punjab elected to field first before rain forced the players indoors for more than two hours. Officials did not cut any overs when play resumed. Five-time champions Mumbai, who posted 203-6, lost veteran opener Rohit Sharma for eight off Marcus Stoinis in the third over but England's Jonny Bairstow took on the opposition bowlers with regular boundaries. Bairstow, who joined Mumbai ahead of the playoffs and played a key role in their win in the eliminator against Gujarat Titans, made 38 in a 51-run stand with the left-handed Varma. Medium-pace bowler Vijaykumar Vyshak dismissed Baristow, who attempted to play a scoop shot but fell caught behind. Tilak Varma kept up pace with Suryakumar Yadav as the pair put on 72 runs. Both made 44 each. The two fell in the space of three deliveries, but number six Naman Dhir hit an 18-ball 37 to boost the total, which in the end proved insufficient. The league was extended by nine days after being paused due to a military conflict between India and Pakistan and some overseas players including Mumbai imports Will Jacks (England) and Ryan Rickelton (South Africa) left before the playoffs.
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