Shreyas Iyer looked stunned in Dharamshala as Tilak Varma struck the decisive six, helping Mumbai Indians seal a six-wicket win on Thursday. The result extended Punjab Kings’ slide to a fifth straight defeat. Even though MI are already out of the playoff hunt, the franchise still had pride and big names to play for. Punjab, meanwhile, stayed put in fourth place in the IPL 2026 points table and will feel the sting of yet another missed chance to snap their downward momentum.
Turn of the chase: from pressure to a late surge
With the run chase entering its final stretch, Mumbai required 50 runs from the last three overs. After the 17th over, the target looked briefly more manageable, sparked by what seemed like a key breakthrough—Azmatullah Omarzai got Sherfane Rutherford out for 20 in that over. Rutherford and Tilak Varma had been grinding together as Punjab tried to regain control late in the innings.
However, Rutherford’s dismissal left Tilak without his set partner, one who is known for his ability to clear the ropes with power-hitting. Still, the momentum shifted back toward Mumbai almost immediately.
Tilak’s acceleration: the 18th over does the damage
For the 18th over, Iyer opted to bring in Marco Jansen. Tilak Varma was already on 45 not out from 24 balls when the over began. It started with a six from Tilak—struck cleanly over deep backward square leg. He then completed his half-century in quick fashion, reaching it off just 25 deliveries.
Jansen tried to respond by bowling full, but Tilak punished that too, hitting Jansen for a four. Tilak then took a single on the third ball to keep the pressure building. Will Jacks soon joined the party, smashing Jansen for another boundary.
After a single, Tilak took the strike again and pulled the bowler to long on for a six. The 18th over ultimately went for 22 runs, and it proved to be the pivotal turning point of the match.
Final-over drama and the winning finish
Arshdeep Singh attempted to keep things tight in the 19th over, but he was struck for a six and a four, conceding 13 runs. Heading into the last over, Mumbai still needed 15 runs from six balls, and the contest remained delicately balanced.
Iyer then turned to Xavier Bartlett in hopes of stealing the game back. The final over opened with Will Jacks launching Bartlett over long off for a six, cutting the equation down to nine required from five balls. Jacks then took a single, followed by a dot ball from Bartlett.
After the first three deliveries, Mumbai required eight more. Tilak Varma then struck a short ball over cover for a six, bringing it down to two runs needed off the final two balls. He sealed the chase with another boundary, this time carving the ball over deep backward square leg for six.
Tilak Varma’s post-match message
After the match, Tilak Varma reflected on Punjab’s earlier struggles and explained how the finishing plan came together. He 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.”
