Mohali - Rohit Sharma slammed an attractive 50 off 30 balls as the Mumbai Indians scored a last-over win against the Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.
Sharma led the chase but it took unbeaten cameos from Ambati Rayudu (30) and South Africa's Robin Peterson (16) to guide Mumbai to 171-6 in 19.5 overs after the home side were restricted to 168-3 at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
Rayudu and Peterson took 27 runs off the 19th over bowled by leg-spinner Piyush Chawla to tilt the scales and help Mumbai avenge their six-wicket loss to Punjab in their previous game in Mumbai three days ago.
Mumbai needed a challenging 32 off the last two overs until left-hander Peterson produced two switch-hits for boundaries and then a six over the mid-wicket fence to turn the tide back in their favour.
Rayudu also produced two sixes in the over to leave just six runs to get off the last over bowled by Azhar Mahmood.
For Punjab, stand-in captain David Hussey top-scored with an unbeaten 68.
Hussey, leading the side in the absence of Australian compatriot Adam Gilchrist who was nursing a hamstring injury, boosted the total with some lusty shots that included four sixes and four fours.
Hussey added 89 for the unbroken fourth wicket with South Africa's David Miller, who made a quick 17-ball 34 with three sixes and one four, ending the innings with two consecutive sixes off pace bowler Munaf Patel.
"The penultimate over really turned the tide," Hussey said. "You try and bowl your best bowler in the penultimate over, Chawla bowled well earlier but they got stuck in."
Mumbai has four wins and three losses while Punjab has three wins and five losses.
Scores:
Mumbai Indians 171-6 in 19.5 overs (Rohit Sharma 50, Sachin Tendulkar 34, Ambati Rayudu 34 not out; Parvinder Awana 3-39, Azhar Mahmood 2-23) def. Kings XI Punjab 168-3 (David Hussey 68 not out, David Miller 34 not out).