Shreyas Iyer was left shellshocked as Tilak Varma hit the match-winning six in Dharamshala on Thursday. Punjab Kings’ losing streak stretched to five matches, and Mumbai Indians sealed a six-wicket victory. Although MI are already eliminated from the playoff race, they have big stars and pride at stake. PBKS remain in fourth position in the IPL 2026 points table and will regret another missed opportunity to break their poor run.
After the 17th over in the run chase, MI needed 50 off the final three overs. It looked like Azmatullah Omarzai’s wicket of Sherfane Rutherford (20) in the 17th had changed the tide. Rutherford and Tilak were building a gritty partnership in a late fight back. But the former’s dismissal left Tilak without his partner, known for his power-hitting.
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Iyer decided to go with Marco Jasen for the 18th over and Tilak Varma was at 45* off 24 balls. It began with a six, smoked over deep backward square leg as Tilak also got his fifty off only 25 balls. Then Jansen sent it too full, and it was hammered for a four. Tilak took a single in the third ball, and then Will Jacks joined the party, drilling Jansen for a four. After a single, Tilak got the strike in the final and pulled him to long on for a six. The 18th over conceded 22 runs and proved to be the turning point in the game.
Tilak Varma’s late-game planning
Arshdeep Singh did try to keep it tight in the 19th over, but ended up getting hit for a six and four, conceding 13 runs. Ahead of the final over, MI needed 15 runs in six balls, but the game was still hanging by a thread.
Iyer sent Xavier Bartlett, hoping to steal the game away from MI. The final over began with Jacks launching him over long off for a six, with the equation reduced to nine off five balls. Then he took a single, followed by Bartlett getting a dot. After the first three balls, MI needed 8 more runs, and then Tilak hammered a short ball over cover for a six, with the equation coming down to two off two balls. He ended the game with another six, carved over deep backward square leg.
Speaking after the match, Tilak said, “We saw how PBKS struggled in the first 15 overs, then Azamatullah and Vishnu Vinod took them to a good score. I thought I would take the game deep. I spoke to the coach at the second break; I just needed one big over and I could finish the game. Will’s innings helped finish the game, I just told him to hold shape and hold the shape. Just wait for the slower one, the altitude here helps the ball fly and you don’t need to blindly slog. I just told him to maintain his shape and watch out for the slower ones.”