Mohali, near the Himalayan foothills, is a long way from any Ashes venue, literally and metaphorically, but cricket's oldest rivalry nevertheless intruded as Punjab Kings hosted Sunrisers Hyderabad in the north Indian city. 

Australia and Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins proved a key figure, dismissing Punjab's two English batters as the visitors won the Indian Premier League match by two runs.

Opening the innings as Sunrisers defended a total of 9 for 182, Cummins struck in his first over to take the key wicket of Jonny Bairstow for a duck as the Englishman came up with nothing but air while trying to work Cummins through the leg side.

As another Englishman, Sam Curran, later threatened to swing the match in Kings' favour, Cummins intervened again.

Settling the Kings' innings after three wickets fell in the first five overs, Curran tried to smash T Natarajan across the line, but sliced the left-armer towards mid-on where Cummins took a brilliant catch, jumping backwards with the flight and pouching the ball high above his head to dismiss Curran for 29 off 22.

That seemed game over but Shashank Singh (46 off 25) and Ashutosh Sharma (33 off 15) added an unbeaten 66 off 27 balls for the seventh wicket to take it to the wire.

Kings needed 29 off the last over and three dropped catches, two of which went over the rope for six, a further six and three wides meant they fell agonisingly short, finishing on 6 for 180. As victory was secured, captain Cummins smiled a wry grin of relief.

Both teams took a 2-2 win-loss record into the match, needing a win to maintain their push for the four play-off places, with Sunrisers taking fifth spot.

Put in to bat, Travis Head should have been dismissed first ball, but the umpire did not notice the Australian had feathered Kagiso Rabada to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma and Bairstow, at slip, was unable to persuade captain Shikhar Dhawan to review.