Mumbai Indians, already out of the playoff hunt, beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in their IPL 2026 encounter at Dharamsala on Thursday. The result left Punjab still chasing a top-four finish and reeling after suffering their fifth consecutive defeat.
Quick facts
- Match: Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2026
- Venue/Day: Dharamsala, Thursday
- Result: MI won by six wickets
- Punjab’s slump: fifth straight loss
- Shardul Thakur’s bowling: 4 for 39
- Punjab total: 200 for 8
- MI chase: 201, reached 205 for 4 in 19.5 overs
For Mumbai, the win brought relief but the bigger talking point came from Shardul Thakur’s post-match interaction that spread quickly across social media. In a clip shared by the franchise, a fan asked Thakur about how often he dismissed Punjab batters across different teams.
“You have taken so many wickets against Punjab,” the questioner said. Thakur’s reply was sharp and emotional: “I was kept out and sent home. It’s rage!”
Thakur’s spell turns the chase
Thakur backed up the words with a crucial bowling performance against the Kings. He returned figures of 4 for 39, helping Mumbai regain control after Punjab started confidently.
Punjab, asked to bat first, compiled 200 for 8. Prabhsimran Singh top-scored with 57, while Priyansh Arya contributed 27. During one spell, Thakur removed Prabhsimran and then captain Shreyas Iyer in quick succession, tightening the pressure on the innings.
Alongside Thakur, Deepak Chahar (2/36), Corbin Bosch (1/42) and Raj Bawa (1/11) also chipped in with wickets for Mumbai.
In reply, Tilak Varma stayed unbeaten on 75 off 33 balls as Mumbai chased down 201 with one ball remaining. Will Jacks finished not out on 25 off 10, as MI reached 205 for 4 in 19.5 overs.
Azmatullah Omarzai was Punjab’s most effective bowler in the chase, taking 2 for 36.
The “rage” and the Punjab connection
Thakur’s viral comment appeared to reference his earlier stint with Kings XI Punjab, the franchise’s former name. He was purchased by the side in the 2014 IPL auction and remained there for three seasons.
However, his opportunities were limited—he played just one match during that spell, coming against Delhi Daredevils in 2015.
In the 2016 season, Punjab released him midway through the tournament. At that point, Thakur had recently finished as Mumbai’s leading wicket-taker during their 2015-16 Ranji Trophy-winning campaign.
After being left frustrated, Thakur posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he would play a semifinal T20 match for his club, “payyade sc,” noting he was returning to action after two months and calling the IPL experience “done wonders.”
With Punjab now needing help from results elsewhere, Thursday’s defeat at Dharamsala only deepened the challenge for their top-four push, while Mumbai’s win—despite being out of contention—kept their season momentum alive.
