MI vs PBKS Man of the Match IPL 2021: Who was awarded Man of the Match in Mumbai vs Punjab IPL 2021 match?

MI vs PBKS Man of the Match: The vice-captain of Mumbai Indians won the match award for his contribution across divisions.

During the 42nd match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings in Abu Dhabi, Mumbai Indians beat Punjab Kings by 6 wickets to register their first victory of this leg. Having lost three matches in a row before tonight, defending champions Indians are now at the fifth position on the points table.

In the first innings, Kings batter Aiden Markram top-scored for them with his 42 (29) comprising of six fours after opposition captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl.

For Mumbai, vice-captain Kieron Pollard was the pick of their bowlers with figures of 1-0-8-2. In addition to Pollard, Jasprit Bumrah picked two and Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar picked a wicket apiece.

MI vs PBKS Man of the Match

Hit by Punjab spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s dual blow in the powerplay, all MI could manage in the first six overs was 30/2. Having replaced Ishan Kishan in the Playing XI tonight, Saurabh Tiwary justified his selection by scoring a stroke-filled 45 (37).

However, it was a match-winning 45-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Hardik Pandya and Pollard which sealed the chase for Indians in 19 overs. Pandya, who hasn’t played a lot of cricket in the last month or so, made the most of getting a reprieve by Harpreet Brar scoring 40* (30) with the help of four fours and two sixes to return to form at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Needing 29 runs in three overs, it was Pollard who scored an impact-generating 15* (7) breaking the shackles by scoring a four and a six off Arshdeep Singh. Having dismissed Chris Gayle (1) and Lokesh Rahul (15) in the same over to pick 300th T20 wicket, Pollard was declared the ‘Man of the Match’ for being an archetype utility player that he is generally expected to be.

“Very important to get my 300th wicket. I know what I can do in all the facets of the game. I will be more than happy to do what the team needs of me. You try and watch and target whom you can target and not. I enjoyed my 300th wicket which was KL [Rahul] and obviously it’s a landmark and very special,” Pollard was quoted as saying by Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.