IPL, 2016 Live Cricket Score of Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians, 21st Match

It's sixth versus eighth on a Monday evening. Mumbai Indians, the defending champions have taken one step front and then almost instantly slipped back. They are in desperate need of form reversal as are their opponents, Kings XI Punjab. The hosts have lost 15 off their last 17 games. Can someone step up for them? Maxwell? Miller? Anyone?

Welcome to match 21 of the IPL 2016. And so begins another week in this manic competition. Here's hoping for a good start...

On one hand, there are Glenn Maxwell and David Miller, who have been dismissed in the same over thrice in five games, crippling Punjab's hopes for posting a big total and on the other there's someone like a Rohit Sharma, who's enjoyed a good run of form but is struggling for a batting partner to bail him out.

Mumbai's big problem has been that they are yet to put together a complete performance. Jasprit Bumrah appears to have gone off the boil in the last couple of games. Much is expected of Harbhajan as well.

For Punjab, it is imperative that Maxwell and Miller click. They don't have the luxury of a big Indian name either. Runs from Marsh won't hurt as well.

Alright, here's putting you on the spotlight... What would you do to change the prospects of these two teams? Send in your suggestions with Tweets @kaushik_cb. We'll feature a collection over here.
Alright, here's putting you on the spotlight... What would you do to change the prospects of these two teams? Send in your suggestions with Tweets @kaushik_cb. We'll feature a collection over here.

A toss win at last for David Miller, who says he is 'chuffed' to do so. Kings XI will field first. Why you ask? ... Statistics, Numbers... That's the general formula for success this year and Miller hopes it works for him. Mitchell Johnson returns to the side, as does Pradeep Sahu.

Mumbai Indians are unchanged and will be batting first. Rohit says the team sat down after their defeat to Delhi and spoke about what's going wrong and the steps to address the slump. Let's hope that translates to a better on-field performance.

Ho-ho! Murali Kartik on air reckons it's a catch 22 situation. Not a typical Mohali wicket, he seems to reckon. Lots of yellow grass (dried) that could allow for much better conditions to start off with. Well, well...

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Parthiv Patel(w), Ambati Rayudu, Krunal Pandya, Jos Buttler, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah

What a start for Sandeep. It's a two-ball duck for the Mumbai Indians captain. That's a nice outswinger that tempts Rohit into chasing that and a faintest of edge is pouched by the keeper. To quote a horrible cliche, just what the doctor ordered for KXIP. The hitman is gone! In comes Rayudu and it's Mitchell Johnson steaming in from the other end.

Parthiv Patel has helped himself to two boundaries off MJ but apart from that, Punjab's bowlers have made a very disciplined beginning here. No freebies whatsoever, Just 18 runs off four overs. We've already had an over of spin from Axar Patel. Sandeep has given away just four from two overs and he will continue.

Oh no, what have you done, Mitch? Sets the trap, throws in the bait and succeeds in enticing Parthiv into the pull shot and the diminutive keeper finds that man in the deep. But as it turns out, it's a no-ball. The first by a KXIP bowler this season. What a time to do so.

Parthiv offers another catch off a free hit but follows that up with successive boundaries...

Parthiv has grown really comfortable in the middle. Could make Punjab pay for that no-ball. But now, with Mohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell bowling, Parthiv won't get easy pace to work with, something he relishes. The partnership reaches 50 and Rayudu marks the milestone by stepping out to Maxi and hitting him over long on for six. 60 for 1 after 8 overs. And it's time for sweepstakes...

I'm going for Mumbai to post 172. Have your say with Tweets @kaushik_cb

Nagarbavi: 165Ashwin: 180Ganesh: 160Amardeep: 183
Nagarbavi: 165Ashwin: 180Ganesh: 160Amardeep: 183

Parthiv can cross a road blindfolded and escape unscathed. The last time a batsman was this lucky, he went on to guide his team to the final of the World T20. Following a catch off a no ball, Parthiv survives a drop chance and then finds himself on the positive side of a 50-50 stumping call. Importantly for Mumbai, he is around and along with Rayudu, who is breezing through his innings, looks set to set Mumbai up for a big first innings score.

They have upped the ante big time here. Both Rayudu and Parthiv have changed gears and are now going all guns blazing. Parthiv, in particular, picks up two fours off Mohit and follows that up with two more off Mitchell Johnson to move into the sixties. KXIP have been all over the place since that opening spell from Sandeep.

This is like fighting against Darth Maul and his double-ended light saber. They are going after the bowling from both ends. Ambati Rayudu perishes attempting a third successive six but not before he's scored a 37-ball 65. However, there is no stopping Parthiv, who continues to find the boundary with alarming regularity. Sahu, Mitchell Johnson and Mohit Sharma have bled runs today.

The run-rate is touching 10 now. Buttler is the new man in and he won't go easy on the bowlers either.

A 13-ball 24 from Buttler that included myriad shots behind the wicket has eventually been ended by a Mohit Sharma slower delivery. Should have bowled this back of the hand stuff much earlier. Tried to bowl the seamup and was repeatedly scooped away by Buttler. 200 looks on the cards.

A good start and good finish for KXIP. In between it was all Mumbai Indians through that 137-run stand between Rayudu and Parthiv. The latter got to 81, his highest score in IPL before getting dismissed. Mohit, with his slower deliveries, picked up two wickets in the final over and conceded just four in the final over to restrict Mumbai to 189, at a time when it looked like they would easily cross 200.

Now for Maxwell, Miller and Marsh to delivery. High time.

An over ambitious Murali Vijay struck a huge six off Tim Southee over the deep square fence but an attempted riposte brings about his downfall as Southee comes back with a cleverly disguised slower delivery. The top edge is pouched by Jos Buttler at cover. Early blow for Punjab. Over to you now, Mr. Marsh!

Not Manan Vohra's day either. This one is short and wide from Jasprit Bumrah and the Punjab opener has found the cover fielder perfectly. Should have been put away. So the two Indian top order hopes are back in the hut. Maxwell joins fellow Aussise Marsh in the middle.

A glimmer of hope. A flurry of boundaries and suddenly Kings XI can dare to dream. Maxwell and Marsh have steadied the nerves just that tad bit and appear to be growing in confidence. Pollard has something to say to Maxwell. Why do you want to fire him up, big man? He's been in dreadful form. Just let him be. Nevertheless, Punjab have 75 on the board in 10 overs. Good stuff. Take it close boys. Take it close.

In a high-scoring game Southee has quietly ended with figures of 4-0-28-2. Most importantly, he has got the crucial wicket of Shaun Marsh, who has timed a length delivery on leg stump straight to the long-leg fielder. Out for 45 after a partnership of 89. 69 to get off 5 overs. Maxwell has got 50, a very good 50. But much to do, Punjab still have.

A crucial six to finish off Harbhajan's four-over spell reduces the equation to 78 from the final six overs. The wily off spinner was going to get away with a nice and tidy spell but a six off the final ball means Punjab require exactly 13 per over in the six. Big hitters still around. Punjab should just go for this. Obviously they will... This is not a Test match where they can play for a draw.

Once Maxwell was gone, it was a foregone conclusion. Bumrah finished with three, McClenaghan got two and was largely unhittable at the end and that meant, despite an improved batting performance, KXIP finished 25-runs shot of the target. How they'll rue all those reprieves they gave Parthiv Patel. Mumbai were clinical when it mattered most and that's why they move up to fifth spot. For Punjab, it's a five-day rest before they begin again. That's it from us for today. Do join us for tomorrow's game - We have Sunrisers against Pune. Desperate times for Dhoni and Co. So, should be good fun. Ciao!

Sustained pressure from Mumbai Indians accounts for Glenn Maxwell. He's come back with a half-century but McClenaghan's 16th over is a gem. He gives away just six forcing Maxwell to take risks against Bumrah. An inside edge on to the stumps sends him on his way. Bumrah gets his third with a trademark yorker to bowl Nikhil Naik.