KXIP and MI have faced each other in 24 matches, of which Punjab has won on 11 occasions while Mumbai won 13 games.
In an ideal world, as per the original schedule, this would have been the 13th season of the IPL where a KL Rahul-led Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) was supposed to face Mumbai Indians (MI) captained by Rohit Sharma at the Wankhede in Mumbai. However, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has put the tournament on hold. It’s the perfect time to turn the pages back and relive some of the best clashes and outstanding performances between the two teams over the years.
Head-to-head
So far, KXIP and MI have faced each other in 24 matches, of which Punjab has won on 11 occasions while Mumbai won 13 games. Their statistics bear testimony to how balanced these two teams have been and also the nail-biting affairs they have been involved in.
IPL 2008, KXIP win by 1 run
Kings XI Punjab- 189 (Marsh 81, Pomersbach 79*, Chitnis 2-40) beat Mumbai Indians- 188 (Tendulkar 65, Yuvraj 2-12) by one run.
A 134-run stand between Shaun Marsh and Luke Pomersbach laid the platform for KXIP to set an imposing total of 189/4. At one point Mumbai looked on course to win while Sachin Tendulkar was still at the crease. But the master blaster’s dismissal led to a dramatic turnaround.
With 19 needed off 6 balls, it was a see-saw last over from VRV Singh, which witnessed a dropped catch and three run-outs as Kings XI Punjab emerged victorious to end Mumbai Indians’ six-match winning streak.
IPL 2009, KXIP win by 3 runs
Kings XI Punjab 119 for 8 (Sangakkara 45*, Malinga 2-12) beat Mumbai Indians 116 for 7 (Duminy 59, Abdulla 2-19) by three runs.
Once again batting first, KXIP posted a meagre 119, with Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara top-scoring with an unbeaten 45.
Defending the small total Kings XI Punjab’s three-pronged pace attack bowled smartly to keep the Mumbai squad in check. South Africa’s Yusuf Abdulla was given the task of bowling the last over, and defend 12 runs. And what an over it turned out to be.
IPL 2013, MI win by 4 runs
Mumbai Indians 174 for 3 (Rohit 79*, Smith 33) beat Kings XI Punjab 170 (Miller 56, Hussey 34, Harbhajan 3-14) by four runs.
Rohit Sharma starred for MI with an undefeated 79 that saw David Miller’s 56 go in vain. However, Mumbai Indians had no business allowing the game to be decided off the last ball.
When Miller was dismissed, KXIP was down in the dumps needing 26 off the final two overs with just one wicket in hand. 17 were needed off the last over by Dhawal Kulkarni. A total of eight deliveries were bowled in that over, of which six were full tosses, one of them was called a no-ball and another should have been – it was clearly above the waist – but wasn’t.
IPL 2017, KXIP won by 7 runs
Kings XI Punjab 230 for 3 (Saha 93*, Maxwell 47) beat Mumbai Indians 223 for 6 (Simmons 59, Pollard 50*, Mohit 2-57) by seven runs
This match in 2017 was a run slugfest. The two teams scored 453 runs between them, the second-highest aggregate in IPL history. However, the outcome of the match was decided in the final over with Mohit Sharma defending 15 to deny a rampaging Kieron Pollard.
IPL 2018, MI win by 3 runs
Mumbai Indians 186 for 8 (Pollard 50, Krunal 32, Tye 4-16) beat Kings XI Punjab 183 for 5 (Rahul 94, Finch 46, Bumrah 3-15) by three runs
Mumbai Indians overcame a stiff challenge from KXIP’s Andrew Tye, who had claimed his third four-for in four games, to post 186 on the board. KL Rahul’s excellent knock paced the chase, but MI pulled off a win with a combination of luck and skill. The architects of the win: Jasprit Bumrah and Kieron Pollard.
Bumrah finished with 3/15, but his best was saved for the last, the penultimate over of the game. With 22 runs needed in 2 overs, Bumrah conceded just six and had Rahul caught at long-off. Mitchell McClenaghan did just enough in the final over to eke out a three-run win.