KKR dethrone Mumbai Indians to stay alive in IPL 2021
Kolkata Knight Riders dispatched Mumbai Indians by seven wickets to stay on course for a place in the knockout stages of the IPL 2021.
Needing 156 runs to win, the Knight Riders chased down the target with 4.5 overs to spare. This win means that both Mumbai and Eoin Morgan’s men have eight points after playing nine games.
Dde Kock’s brilliance goes in vain
After losing convincingly against Chennai Super Kings the last time out, Mumbai came out with a point to prove. Both of their openers (Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma) were influential in giving the Men in Blue an ideal start. In the first five overs, they were going at a run rate of almost ten runs per over.
Even though the run-rate regressed in the next five overs, the defending crown-holders sat with a score of 80/1 at the halfway mark. Skipper Rohit Sharma fell to Sunil Narine in the tenth over after scoring 33 off 30 balls.
Quinton de Kock was sublime throughout the Mumbai innings. The South African scored the 16th IPL half-century of his career, with four boundaries and three sixes. The five-time IPL champions reached three figures at the end of the 14th over. In the next over, de Kock fell to Prasidh which compounded the problems for Mumbai.
After such a fine start to the innings, it looked likely that Rohit Sharma’s men would be unable to take advantage. Ishan Kishan tried to accelerate the innings, but he fell to Ferguson soon after. It was all set for Kieran Pollard to take the initiative. And so he did.
The star all-rounder, as he has done throughout his career, carried the late onslaught for his team. In the 18th over, he smashed Prasidh for a four and a six to ensure that the Indians get some sort of momentum. However, Lockie Ferguson bowled a superb last over for Kolkata to get both Pollard and Pandya out. Mumbai finished with a total of 155/6.
Iyer and Tripathi seal the win for Knight Riders
Just the second ball of the innings and a six from Shabnum Gill was all we needed to know that it was set up to be a fantastic run chase. After three overs, Kolkata already had 40 runs on the board. However, they had lost the former Punjab man for 13 runs.
With the required run rate just under seven after five overs, it was imminent that Mumbai had to take the sting out of the game. However, Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi took the match away completely from the defending champions. At the haf way mark, the two-time IPL champions were sitting at 111/1, requiring only 45 runs off the last ten overs.
Soon after, Iyer reached his maiden IPL fifty. In the next over, Tripathi hit a four and six to bring up his half century as well. However, the Kolkata opener was bowled by Bumrah in the same over. He scored 53 off 30 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.
Tripathi seemed unbothered by the dismissal of Iyer as he carried on the onslaught to ensure that his team gets over the line. A six and a four off Chahar brought the Knight Riders closer to the finishing line. Skipper Morgan also joined the party by hitting a six of the leg spinner. However, he fell to Bumrah.
Eventually, Kolkata clinched victory in the 16th over. Tripathi finished unbeaten with 74 runs, hitting eight fours and three sixes.
