Punjab Kings run out of steam as Mumbai Indians win by 9 runs

CHANDIGARH, India (AP) — Batter Ashutosh Sharma produced a brilliant rearguard knock but Punjab Kings still ran out of steam and lost to Mumbai Indians by nine runs in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.

Sharma scored 61 runs off 28 balls, including seven sixes, as he helped Punjab recover from 77-6 to mount a serious challenge before the hosts fell short.

Pacers Gerald Coetzee and Jasprit Bumrah bowled Mumbai to victory, sharing six wickets in eight overs.

Suryakumar Yadav had earlier scored 78 off 53 balls to help Mumbai post 192-7 (20 overs). Punjab managed 183 in 19.1 overs, nevertheless a remarkable recovery from 49-5 at one stage.

Put into bat, Mumbai lost Ishan Kishan (8) early while his opening partner Rohit Sharma scored 36 off 25 balls.

Sharma hit three sixes as he paved the way for Yadav, who hit seven fours and three sixes in his second half-century of the season.

The duo added 81 runs off 57 balls, with Sharma out caught off stand-in skipper Sam Curran in the 12th over.

Tilak Varma contributed 34 off 18 balls, adding another 49 off 28 balls with Yadav who took center-stage with 50 off 34 balls.

It was a chance-less knock from Yadav, who fell in the 17th over, out caught off Curran (2-41).

Mumbai lost a bit of steam thereafter, as Hardik Pandya (10) and Tim David (14) failed to accelerate enough to push the score past 200.

Harshal Patel finished with 3-31, picking all three wickets including Romario Shepherd (1) in the final over.

In reply, Punjab Kings were off to a disastrous start as they had no response to the Mumbai pacers.

Prabhsimran Singh was caught behind for a first-ball duck off Coetzee and then Bumrah bowled Rilee Rossouw for another golden duck with a searing yorker.

Curran (6), who had opened the innings, was caught behind off Bumrah two balls later in the second over.

It became 14-4 in 2.1 overs as Liam Livingstone mistimed a pull off Coetzee and was out caught for one.

Impact player Harpreet Singh scored 13 runs but the damage was nearly irreparable.

Shashank Singh though went about this task, scoring 41 off 25 balls, including three sixes. His counter attacking knock breathed new life into Punjab’s late order, especially Sharma who took over the mantle once Bumrah dismissed Singh in the 13th over.

The duo had added 34 off 17 balls to rescue Punjab from 77-6 in 9.2 overs. Sharma scored 50 off only 23 balls and his knock included six sixes.

He was particularly severe on pacer Akash Madhwal, smacking him for four out of his seven sixes.

Coetzee finally got the breakthrough in the 18th over, as Sharma was out caught in the deep. But Mumbai was penalized for a slow over rate, meaning there were only four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard-circle for the final two overs.

Punjab needed 23 runs off the final 12 balls, took 11 off the penultimate over, but ultimately ran out of steam — and wickets.

Mumbai moved up to seventh. The Kings are ninth in the points table.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Punjab Kings' Ashutosh Sharma plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Punjab Kings' Ashutosh Sharma plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Punjab Kings' Ashutosh Sharma plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Punjab Kings' Ashutosh Sharma plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Mumbai Indians' Gerald Coetzee takes the catch to dismiss Punjab Kings' Liam Livingstone during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Mumbai Indians' Gerald Coetzee takes the catch to dismiss Punjab Kings' Liam Livingstone during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Mumbai Indians' Gerald Coetzee celebrates the dismissal of Punjab Kings' Liam Livingstone during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah , third from right, celebrates the dismissal of Punjab Kings' Sam Curran, left, during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah bowls a delivery during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah , right, and Mumbai Indians' Tilak Varma celebrates the dismissal of Punjab Kings' Shashank Singh during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings' and Mumbai Indians' in Mullanpur ,India, Thursday, April 18, 2024.(AP Photo/ Surjeet Yadav))

MADRID (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz's bid to win a third straight Madrid Open title ended with a three-set loss to Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The second-seeded Spaniard got off to a good start but then was outplayed by the seventh-seeded Rublev, losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the Caja Magica center court.

Alcaraz, who had already struggled in a three-set win over Jan-Lennard Struff on Tuesday, looked out of sorts and was mistake-prone toward the end.

It was his first tournament after missing Monte Carlo and Barcelona because of a right forearm injury. The 20-year-old had arrived in Madrid saying he would be happy to play three or four matches in the Spanish capital.

Already in a hole in the third set, Alcaraz pressed the forearm during a stopover. He was wearing a long sleeve over the injured arm.

Alcaraz was trying to become the first player to win the clay-court tournament three straight times. He hadn't lost on Spanish soil since 2021.

Rublev, seeking his second ATP 1000 title after winning Monte Carlo last year, will play either Taylor Fritz or Francisco Cerundolo.

The world No. 8 was solid from the start and overpowered Alcaraz with 30 winners.

“The serve saved me a lot of times today,” Rublev said. “The key was I was completely calm the whole match. I did not say one word, even if I was losing. That was the key and I was able to serve even better near the end. In the beginning, I was not serving that well but little by little, after set one, I served better and better and finished really well.”

RYBAKINA ADVANCES

Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina saved two match points en route to a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 win over Yulia Putintseva to reach the women's semifinals.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion rallied while trailing 5-2 in the third set. She also trailed by an early break in the second set.

Rybakina has won eight matches in a row and has a tour-leading 30-4 record this season. She has 16 straight clay wins and is trying to reach her sixth final of the year.

Rybakina will next face either defending champion Aryna Sabalenka or 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, returns the ball to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, returns the ball to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, returns the ball to Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, celebrates after winning a match against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, competes against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, returns the ball to Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, waves to the crowd after winning a match against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, returns the ball to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)