Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that Punjab Kings missed an opportunity to win against Mumbai Indians despite scoring 200 runs in the first innings. Punjab Kings, led by Azmatullah Omarzai’s quick 38 off 17 balls and Prabhsimran Singh’s 57 off 32 deliveries, showcased a strong recovery in the final overs after a mid-game collapse. However, Mumbai Indians successfully chased the target, with Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 75 and Ryan Rickelton’s aggressive start leading them to victory. Gavaskar expressed disappointment over Punjab Kings’ inability to capitalize on their late batting momentum.
Reflecting on the match, Gavaskar highlighted the significance of Shreyas Iyer’s failure in contributing to Punjab’s total score. He emphasized that Iyer’s usual additional 20-30 runs could have made a difference in the outcome. Gavaskar also raised concerns about Punjab’s bowling strategies, particularly questioning the decision to use Xavier Bartlett, who remained wicketless and conceded 53 runs in 3.5 overs. The cricket legend suggested that Bartlett should have been given the new ball on a pitch that favored bowlers.
Praising Azmatullah Omarzai’s all-round performance, Gavaskar recommended that Punjab Kings continue to support the Afghan player in upcoming matches. He also proposed considering Marcus Stoinis for bolstering the team’s batting lineup. Despite the loss, Punjab Kings currently hold the fourth position in the points table with 13 points from 12 matches. Their next challenge will be against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday.
