Punjab prevail after two Super Overs
Dubai, UAE - About three inches. That's all that stood between the Kings XI Punjab and an outright victory over the Mumbai Indians. But they eventually got there. After two Super Overs.
A see-sawing game came down to the last ball. Chris Jordan dug out a yorker to long-on and sensed the opportunity to get the two runs he needed to end the game.
But he turned in a giant circle, adding to the distance he needed to cover. Distance on which this entire game was riding on. In the end, he was about three inches short. Jasprit Bumrah allowed only five runs off his bowling to set up a seemingly straightforward Super-Over chase, but Mohammed Shami had other ideas.
With a nothing target behind him, he nailed yorker after yorker after yorker, to push this obscene match into a second Super Over; and three for the day in total.
A piece of KL Rahul brilliance kept Quinton de Kock from completing the match-winning run.
Then it was Mayank Agarwal's turn in the spotlight, leaping high on the edge of the midwicket boundary, he saved a definite six to bring down the Kings XI's target from 16 to 12 in the second Super Over.
As if he had massive FOMO (fear of missing out), he even walked out and helped chase it down - poor Trent Boult, these tie-breakers never seem to work out for him - as one of the most memorable nights in the IPL came to a close. No one - at least from the Kings XI's camp - is gonna' be sleeping much though.
Speaking after the match, Punjab skipper Rahul said: “We will take the two points in the end. “It doesn't always happen the way you plan so you don't really know how to stay balanced. I was just hoping we get over the line because the boys have been working really really hard. In the games that we have lost, even then we have played well and just not been able to get over the line.“
“We know we need to win everything from here, but we can't forget the processes that lead to a win."