Amla unbeaten, Punjab beaten

Indore, April 20

Jos Buttler smashed a breathtaking 37-ball 77 as Mumbai Indians cantered to an eight-wicket win against Kings XI Punjab here tonight. Hashim Amla’s superb 103 helped Punjab put up a competitive 198/4 but Buttler made a mockery of it as Mumbai Indians knocked off the target in just 15.3 overs.

If Amla was sublime, Buttler’s power-packed innings was scary. He hit seven fours and five sixes in his 37-ball blitzkrieg, overshadowing the effort of the illustrious South African. Nitish Rana, who’s having a wonderful season, made it even easier for Mumbai as he hammered an unbeaten 62 of 34 balls, smashing seven sixes. 

The Buttler-Rana stand got Mumbai 85 runs in less than eight overs. Rana got the purple cap back and finished the match with a six off Mohit Sharma. Mumbai now have 10 points from six games, having won five matches in a row, while Punjab slumped to their fourth defeat.

Earlier, Amla showed he could be as destructive as anyone else in the shortest format. Playing shots that would delight the purists, the South African spanked the Mumbai bowlers en route his unbeaten 104 off 60 balls. His knock included six sixes, five of which came off Lasith Malinga, and eight boundaries. There were straight hits, short-arm jabs over long-on, slashes over point, hook, and a majestic pull that brought up his maiden hundred in the T20 format.

Skipper Glenn Maxwell also played a breezy innings, smashing 40 off 18 balls with the help of four boundaries and three sixes. The third wicket partnership between Amla and Maxwell produced 83 runs in just 5.3 overs, leaving the Mumbai attack in complete disarray. The last six overs produced an astounding 87 runs after Punjab were 111/2 at the end of the 14th over.

Punjab had put up a winning total but the Mumbai Indians batsmen simply ran away with the game. —  PTI