KKR Secure Playoffs Spot with Dominant Spin Performance Against Mumbai in 16 Overs Match
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) IPL 2024 Showdown:
In a rain-interrupted clash that saw Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) facing off against Mumbai Indians, KKR’s spin duo Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine showcased a masterclass, securing a vital win and sealing their spot in the playoffs. The match, which witnessed a delayed start due to rain, ultimately favored KKR as they restricted Mumbai Indians’ chase effectively.
Mumbai Indians 139 for 8 (Kishan 40, Tilak 32, Chakravarthy 2-17, Russell 2-34, Harshit 2-34) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 157 for 7 (Venkatesh 42, Rana 33, Chawla 2-28, Bumrah 2-39) by 18 runs.
The Kolkata Knight Riders‘ spin twins, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, stifled the Mumbai Indians’ chase to secure a playoff berth for their team and an almost-certain finish in the top two on an evening that began with the ball swinging around like a boomerang following plenty of rain in Kolkata.
Chakravarthy and Narine began the strangulation after MI was set 158 overs in 16 overs. MI managed to score just 22 runs in the five overs following the powerplay for two wickets, increasing the strain on the visitors.
With no other option, Suryakumar Yadav and Tim David went after the quicks, falling prey to Andre Russell’s variations that saw MI falter to 92 for 5, and with the exception of a late cameo from Tilak Varma, there was no way back. He got the equation down to 22 needed off of six balls, but MI finally suffered their ninth defeat in 13 games after losing him early in the last over.
The game was shortened to 16 overs a side due to rain, which caused the start to be delayed by an hour and forty-five minutes. KKR lost their opening pair early on, but Venkatesh Iyer and some lower-order hitting helped them reach 157, which at first glance might not seem like much but ended up being sufficient.
Bumrah Magic
It was obvious from the start of this truncated game that the KKR openers would be fierce. After hitting a first-ball six off of Nuwan Thushara, Phil Salt was out of the game in the same over. Bumrah demonstrated some wizardry from the other end that Narine was unable to respond to.
Bumrah’s opening ball was a yorker that came in slightly from outside off towards the finish. Flabbergasted by the late movement that took the base of the off stump, Narine had shouldered arms toward it. It was Narine’s first IPL duck to date.
Venkatesh Takes Charge
In the cloudy sky, the ball was swinging and bothering the batters. Russell had not yet left the field when the hard-hitting openers were removed, and Venkatesh assumed control of the innings. In the powerplay, he scored 25 off 10 by going down the track, rocking back to pull the short balls, and using his reach. Against Bumrah, it also featured 14 off five balls.
With edges eluding fielders and his aggressive style of play, Venkatesh also had some luck as KKR amassed 77 in the opening eight overs, all of which were bowled by fast bowlers.
Piyush vs Chawla Showdown
However, Piyush Chawla struck first as he forced Venkatesh to hole out for 42 off of 21. In his next two overs, Russell walked out and smoked Chawla over his head for a six and a four, coupled with a drill through the covers. While Russell led KKR past 100mph, Chawla shifted his field, placed a fielder at the rope directly behind the umpire for a straight hit, and changed his tempo even faster than 110 mph.
Russell skied a thunderbolt at 117 kph to deep midwicket, giving Chawla the last laugh when he was struck for another six in the thirteenth over, this time by Rinku Singh.
In the final two overs, Thushara and Bumrah unleashed a barrage of yorkers, and KKR only managed to reach 150 thanks to two sixes apiece from Rinku and Ramandeep Singh.
Also Read: KKR Clinches Second IPL Title With Record Breaking Victory Over KXIP In IPL 2014
Narine and Varun Secures the Win
In the first six overs, Rohit Sharma scored at a run per ball despite having trouble scoring runs. Ishan Kishan was left with the responsibility of hitting, and he flat-batted his way to 37 off 17 on the powerplay, which lasted for five overs in this game. He mostly sprayed the square boundaries with balls; the best two balls he hit were a four with a reverse hit and a six with a draw to bring MI to 59 at the end of the powerplay.
But in his next over, Narine was ready with a counterpunch, forcing Kishan to peg out for 40. Rohit’s ordeal came to an end on 19 when both ends of the ball had spin, resulting in a lot of stump-to-stump bowling and 17 straight balls without a boundary. The spinners were also seldom challenged by Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak, and the equation quickly changed from 36 to 77 needed.
The ball was then received by Russell. David was removed by the slower ball after his tangled seam entangled Suryakumar. To make matters worse for MI, Chakravarthy got Hardik Pandya caught for two in the interim.
This IPL has made equations like 57 needed from 18 all the more attainable, and Tilak kept MI’s spark going by hitting Harshit Rana for 16 runs in the 14th over by sending his slower balls to the ropes. MI was able to tie the score when No. 8 Naman Dhir, inspired by Tilak, hit Russell for two sixes and a four in a 19-run over. MI’s fate was set when Dhir and Tilak fell in the first three deliveries of the last over, with 22 needed from six deliveries.
