Wednesday 9 May 2018

IPL 2018: MI hand KKR 102-run defeat, move to 4th position on points table

Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 102 runs and moved to the fourth spot on the VIVO IPL points table. Ishan Kishan made 102 runs

Mumbai Indians' captain Rohit Sharma celebrates with his teammates, the dismissal of Kolkata Knight Riders' Andre Russell during an IPL T20 cricket match at Eden Garden. Photo: PTI

In the 41st match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, Mumbai Indians pulled a stellar performance against Kolkata Knight Riders, defeating them by 102 runs at the Eden Gardens. With this victory, Mumbai also climbed to the fourth spot of the VIVO IPL points table. Put to bat first, Mumbai Indians set the target of 211 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders. As the saying goes --fortune favours the brave--when it seemed that Kolkata bowlers would finish off Mumbai's innings even before 20 overs, Ishan Kishan emerged and bravely went for big shots. He ended up hitting 62 runs off just 21 balls including six sixes. Rohit Sharma also contributed significant runs. Earlier, Mumbai openers Suryakumar Yadav and Lewis were exposed to Spin bowling. Piyush Chawla got the breakthrough in his first over and Lewis had to depart on an unusual dismissal. In the aftermath of a wicket, Yadav got on the backfoot but could not recover as Chawla trapped him.

Ishan Kishan took the initiative by putting life into Mumbai's dull inning and compelled Kolkata to recall spinners. Ishan celebrated the crucial fifty-run stand with Rohit with four consecutive sixes that led to his half-century also. The match had taken a turn and Mumbai were in the driver seat. Narine got the better of Ishan kishan after he had inflicted serious damage. Rohit too put up a decent show and contributed with a significant inning. In Mumbai's reply, Kolkata had the task of saving their prestige at home and keep their claim alive for the IPL title. Sunil Narine succumbed early to a short delivery. Kolkata's start went from bad to worst as Chris Lynn was soon run out. Robin Uthappa too fell even before the team could touch the 50-run mark and the team was on backfoot. Wickets fell at regular intervals and after captain Dinesh Karthik's wicket, Kolkata was on the verge of another defeat. The tail-enders were just delaying the inevitable. Mumbai emerged victorious by handing Kolkata Knight Riders an embarrassing defeat at their home with a stellar performance in all three departments--batting, bowling and fielding.

Kolkata Knight Riders innings analysis after end of innings

Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine opened the batting for KKR. Mitchell McClenaghan started the first over. Narine did what he is expected to do and hit a lofted off-drive for a boundary. But the show didn't last long as he hit the next ball high up in the sky gave away his wicket rather cheaply at short covers. Robin Uthappa was the next man in. Lynn got two consecutive boundaries and that ended a successful over for MI. Krunal Pandya bowled a tight second over giving away just 2 runs. MI looked in control as no easy runs were coming in for KKR. McClenaghan returned with the third over. Chris Lynn wanting to change the narrative smashed him for six and a four. KKR was 25/1 after 3 overs.

Krunal picked up the fourth over from where he had left the second one. Got hit for a six but MI made a comeback thanks to a crucial run-out of Chris Lynn. Nitish Rana joined Uthappa at the crease. Apart from a six in Bumrah's over, MI was scoring at a rate of 7.5 runs per over, much lower than the required run rate of over 11.40. Hardik Pandya came in with the last over of the powerplay and was welcomed with a boundary of the very first ball of the over. Only one more boundary came in this over. KKR stood at a modest 47/2 after 6 overs.

KKR wasn't having the best of their nights as Mayank Markande stricken in his very first over, getting rid of Uthappa. Andre Russell came next. KKR was finding it difficult to mark the rhythm to chase such a huge total, losing wickets at regular intervals. Hardik Pandya came to bowl the eighth over looking to build up the pressure on the batsmen. The strategy paid off and Pandya managed to dismiss the dangerous man Russell who went for a lofted drive but didn't get the required height, hitting straight into the hands of Markande. Karthik was the new man in. The required rate had climbed up to 13.0 runs per over when Markande bowled a comparatively expensive ninth over. KKR was struggling at 67/4 at the end of 9 overs.

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