PBKS vs MI: Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone take Jofra Archer to cleaners

The 46th game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 featured a clash between the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings and the five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday, May 3.

Having lost Prabhsimran Singh early into the first innings, Shikhar Dhawan and Matt Short looked to stabilise the innings. However, it was the brilliant knocks of Liam Livingstone (82 off 42) and Jitesh Sharma (49 off 27) that took the pressure off their shoulders with a 119-run partnership and took the team to a massive total of 214/3.

It was in the 13th over of the first innings that Jitesh Sharma’s blitzkrieg left Mumbai Indians helpless. Ace English pacer Jofra Archer came in to bowl the over and bowled a no-ball in the very first ball. Sharma, who was on strike, hit Archer for three fours in the next four balls, while Archer bowled a wide ball as well. Archer conceded yet another boundary on the last ball of the 13th over after it hit Jitesh’s thigh pad and dribbled away for four leg-byes.

Conceding 21 runs off the over, the pressure was quickly was on the shoulders of the five-time champions. However, things went from bad to wrose for Archer as he conceded a whopping 27 in the 19th over as Livingstone hit him for three consecutive sixes. The 28-year-old had a forgettable game as he conceded 56 runs in the four overs. 

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings came into this game on the back of a brilliant win against the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kingsas they chase down a target of 201 runs to register their fifth win. They are currently in the sixth place in the IPL points table with 10 points in nine games. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians defeated Rajasthan Royals by six wickets at home and are currently placed seventh place in the table with eight points in as many games.