Our Bureau
Mumbai
Punjab Kings crushed Mumbai Indians by seven wickets with 21 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, as opener Prabhsimran Singh made Mumbai pay for a missed chance. Jasprit Bumrah dropped a simple catch when Prabhsimran was on 11, and the left‑hander went on to hit an unbeaten 39‑ball 80 to seal a 196‑run target in just 16.3 overs.
Chasing 196, PBKS lost both openers early, but Prabhsimran stayed calm and attacked. He hit 11 fours and two sixes, keeping his strike rate above 200 while his partnership with captain Shreyas Iyer put the game beyond Mumbai’s reach. The duo shared a 139‑run stand for the third wicket, after which Punjab cantered home with ease.
Bumrah’s dropped catch proved decisive. Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar said that moment “changed the course of the game”, praising Prabhsimran’s ability to hit in all directions and keep bowlers under constant pressure. Bumrah ended the match wicketless, adding to Mumbai’s misery as they slipped to ninth in the table while Punjab Kings climbed to the top.
Mumbai did get a lone bright spot from Quinton de Kock, who scored an unbeaten 112 off 60 balls in the first innings, including a 132‑run stand for the third wicket. But his efforts were in vain as three dropped catches, including Bumrah’s miss, cost Mumbai dearly in yet another home defeat.
