Dharamsala, May 14 -- A blistering half-century by Tilak Varma and an attacking knock from Ryan Rickelton powered the Mumbai Indians (MI) to a six-wicket win over the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash in Dharamsala on Thursday.

The defeat marked Punjab Kings' fifth straight loss, leaving them stranded on 13 points, with Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals closing in on them in the playoff race.

Varma anchored the chase with composure, forging a crucial stand with Will Jacks. He struck a scintillating 75 off 33 balls, while Jacks provided explosive support with 25 off just 10 deliveries.

Chasing 201, Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton opened the innings for the Mumbai Indians, while Arshdeep Singh set the ...