Bouncing back strong, Mumbai Indians celebrated under Jasprit Bumrah’s temporary charge after toppling Punjab Kings on Thursday. That loss marked the hosts’ fifth straight stumble in IPL 2026, deepening their road to the playoffs. For Shreyas Iyer’s men, the setback stirred more questions than answers. Meanwhile, glimpses of what lies ahead emerged quietly through Bumrah’s calm control. Leadership landed in his lap because Hardik Pandya battled a sore back, Suryakumar Yadav stepped away briefly. Though thrilled by the win, Bumrah stayed light-hearted when asked about wearing the captain’s hat – tossing smiles along with thoughtful replies.
Bumrah once skippered India in Tests. He mentioned at the coin flip how odd it felt leading his country in five-day games ahead of guiding Mumbai in the IPL. Once the match ended, he noted red-ball and shortest-format duties were behind him. Captaining in ODIs remains, yet he sees that path unlikely opening up.
Happy with how things unfolded, Bumrah saw the game play out just right on a parched surface where sticking to good lengths made all the difference. Calm heads from the bowlers stood out, he said, while Varma’s decisive innings shifted momentum sharply. From Will Jacks stepping up to Thakur’s sharp spells, each piece fit tightly into place. Nothing felt missing, every role mattered just as much as the next.
One from one, nice to see that grin. Good effort by both sides out there, our fielding came through when needed. Slightly different feel today, the pitch seemed more parched compared to earlier. Temperature might have helped, warmer than before. From what unfolded last time and how things moved just now, staying at your spot made all the difference. Truth be told, every bowler stayed calm under pressure – big respect there. Tilak’s batting stood out just as much as Shardul’s spell; both mattered. He held form nicely at the crease, while Jacks added useful runs too. Leading in Tests? Done. T20s? Also done. Only ODIs remain untouched, though it feels unlikely now. Setting that aside, mood was high. Enjoyed everything – sunshine, crowd, stadium vibe. Time flew by,” Bumrah mentioned during awards
Bumrah led Mumbai Indians for the first time in the IPL on Thursday. With Hardik Pandya sidelined by a back issue, the regular captain stayed out. Suryakumar Yadav, set to fill in, did not feature either – personal matters kept him away.
Out of nowhere, Tilak Varma lit up the field with a scorching fifty. Right after came Ryan Rickelton swinging hard and fast. Together they dragged Mumbai Indians past Punjab Kings by six wickets. Falling again, Punjab tasted their fifth loss in a row. Now stuck at 13 points, they watch rivals edge closer. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are gaining ground, quiet but sharp.
Out of nowhere, Varma settled into the innings, building momentum alongside Will Jacks. His 75 came in just 33 balls – sharp, clean hitting without pause. Meanwhile, Jacks lit up the field with 25 runs from only 10 shots, matching pace when it mattered most
