In a riveting clash at the Eden Gardens, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) showcased their mettle, clinching an 18-run victory against the Mumbai Indians (MI) to secure their spot in the playoffs of the IPL-17 season. This triumph marked KKR’s ninth win of the tournament, propelling them to the top of the standings with 18 points from 12 matches.
IPL-17: KKR vs MI – Match Scorecard
Kolkata Knight Riders
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt | c Kamboj b Thushara | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 120.00 |
| Sunil Narine | b Bumrah | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Venkatesh Iyer | c Suryakumar b Chawla | 42 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 200.00 |
| Shreyas Iyer | b Kamboj | 7 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 70.00 |
| Nitish Rana | run out | 33 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 143.48 |
| Andre Russell | c Kamboj b Chawla | 24 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 171.43 |
| Rinku Singh | c Kishan b Bumrah | 20 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 166.67 |
| Ramandeep Singh | Not out | 17 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 212.50 |
| Mitchell Starc | Not out | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Extras: 6 (lb-3, w-3)
Total: 157/7 in 16 overs
Fall of Wickets:
1-6 (Salt, 0.5 overs), 2-10 (Narine, 1.1), 3-40 (Shreyas, 4.1), 4-77 (Venkatesh, 8.1), 5-116 (Rana, 11.6), 6-125 (Russell, 12.6), 7-148 (Rinku, 15.2)
Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thushara | 3 | 31 | 1 | 10.33 |
| Bumrah | 4 | 39 | 2 | 9.75 |
| Kamboj | 3 | 24 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Hardik | 3 | 32 | 0 | 10.67 |
| Chawla | 3 | 28 | 2 | 9.33 |
Mumbai Indians
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ishan Kishan | c Rinku b Narine | 40 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 181.82 |
| Rohit Sharma | c Narine b Varun | 19 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 79.17 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | c Ramandeep b Russell | 11 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 78.57 |
| Tilak Varma | c Salt b Harshit | 32 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 188.24 |
| Hardik Pandya | c Arora b Varun | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Tim David | c Shreyas b Russell | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nehal Wadhera | run out | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Naman Dhir | c Rinku b Harshit | 17 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 283.33 |
| Anshul Kamboj | Not out | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Piyush Chawla | Not out | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
Extras: 12 (b-4, lb-2, nb-1, w-5)
Total: 139/8 in 16 overs
Fall of Wickets:
1-65 (Kishan, 6.5), 2-67 (Rohit, 7.5), 3-87 (Suryakumar, 10.5), 4-91 (Hardik, 11.4), 5-92 (David, 12.1), 6-117 (Wadhera, 13.6), 7-136 (Dhir, 15.1), 8-137 (Tilak, 15.3)
Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arora | 2 | 16 | 0 | 8.00 |
| Starc | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Harshit | 3 | 34 | 2 | 11.33 |
| Narine | 3 | 21 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Varun | 4 | 17 | 2 | 4.25 |
| Russell | 3 | 34 | 2 | 11.33 |
Toss: Mumbai Indians
Player of the Match: Varun
Result: Kolkata Knight Riders won by 18 runs
Rain-affected Encounter
The encounter, scheduled for a full-length game, faced a delay of an hour and 45 minutes due to rain. Consequently, the match was reduced to 16 overs per side, setting the stage for an intense showdown between the two powerhouses of the IPL.
KKR’s Resilient Batting Performance
Opting to bat first, KKR faced early setbacks with the dismissals of their explosive opening pair, Sunil Narine and Phil Salt. However, Venkatesh Iyer’s stellar knock of 42 runs off 21 balls injected stability into the innings. Supported by valuable contributions from Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh, KKR posted a challenging total of 157 for the loss of seven wickets.
MI’s Spirited Start and Subsequent Collapse
MI commenced their chase on a promising note, with openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma forging a solid partnership, amassing 59 runs in the PowerPlay. However, the spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy turned the tide in KKR’s favor by dismissing the dangerous duo. MI’s innings lost momentum thereafter, with only Tilak Varma offering resistance with a brisk 32 off 17 balls. Despite their efforts, MI faltered in their pursuit, managing only 139 for the loss of eight wickets.
Key Performances and Bowling Brilliance
Venkatesh Iyer’s explosive innings earned him accolades, while the combined efforts of Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh bolstered KKR’s total. On the bowling front, Harshit, Varun, and Russell starred for KKR, claiming crucial wickets and applying pressure on the MI batting lineup.
Conclusion
With this resounding victory, KKR affirmed their dominance over MI in the current IPL season, having previously defeated them by 24 runs in a previous encounter. As they march into the playoffs, KKR’s formidable performance serves as a testament to their prowess and resilience in the tournament. Meanwhile, MI will look to regroup and bounce back stronger as they aim to secure their spot in the knockout stages. As the IPL-17 season progresses, fans can anticipate more exhilarating contests and thrilling moments on the cricketing battlefield.