In an electrifying encounter that held cricket enthusiasts at the edge of their seats, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) triumphed over the Mumbai Indians (MI) with a narrow 24-run victory. The match, held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, was an emotional roller-coaster, with each team having its moments of dominance. Ultimately, KKR’s resilience in the nerve-wracking moments turned the tide, giving them a rare win against MI in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after a 12-year interval.
Mumbai Indians, having won the toss, opted to bowl first, hoping to exploit any early morning moisture on the pitch. The decision initially seemed advantageous as a series of quick wickets had KKR on the back foot right from the onset. The visitors’ innings were a mixture of dramatic incidents, showcasing a blend of aggressive strokeplay and fallible dismissals. By the end of the powerplay, KKR was teetering at 57 for four wickets, and disaster struck again on the next ball losing their fifth wicket.
It all began disastrously for KKR in the first over when Phil Salt misjudged a delivery and ended up top-edging it. The ball was safely caught in the covers by Tilak Varma, albeit after a bit of confusion with Naman Dhir. Nuwan Thushara was the star with the ball for MI during this phase, reaping early rewards. In the third over, he struck twice; firstly, he claimed Angkrish Raghuvanshi and shortly after, Shreyas Iyer. These dismissals left KKR tottering and needing a stable partnership.
Just when MI’s bowlers seemed insurmountable, Venkatesh Iyer walked onto the crease and orchestrated a brilliant recovery. He served as the rock for KKR, establishing his presence with confident, technically sound cricket. Meanwhile, Sunil Narine, famed for his all-rounder capabilities, aimed to take the attack to the MI bowlers. He hit a notable six off Hardik Pandya in the fifth over but soon fell to the MI captain, hardening the visitors’ woes.
As KKR’s batting order continued to wobble, Venkatesh Iyer provided a semblance of balance. Piyush Chawla’s spell claimed another crucial wicket, dismissing Rinku Singh cheaply. At the juncture of 57 for five in the seventh over, KKR’s outlook seemed bleak. However, the introduction of Manish Pandey brought a revitalizing element into the lineup, a strategic move exploiting the ‘Impact Player’ rule to perfection. Pandey and Venkatesh stitched together a vital partnership of 83 runs in the subsequent ten overs, laying the groundwork for a competitive total.
Pandey’s innings was measured and composed, mixing cautious play with aggressive boundaries. He contributed 42 off just 31 balls, inclusive of two fours and two towering sixes.
. With his support, Venkatesh Iyer continued his vigil, even as wickets kept tumbling around him in the latter half of the innings. Venkatesh finally succumbed to Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance on the last ball, concluding KKR’s innings at 169. Thushara’s early burst, bringing three wickets during the powerplay, and Bumrah’s masterclass in the end, finishing with figures of three wickets for just 18 runs, were the bowling highlights for MI.
Entering the chase, MI had a plausible target of 170 runs ahead of them, a chase they believed was within their grasp. The action commenced with Ishan Kishan smashing a four and six off Mitchell Starc in the second over. However, his aggressive intent backfired as he prematurely fell to Starc’s next delivery. Naman Dhir, the fresh face at No. 3, couldn’t long survive either, getting cleaned up by Varun Chakaravarthy in the fifth over.
The pattern of MI’s innings eerily mirrored KKR’s initial struggles. While runs were being made, wickets also fell like dominoes. Rohit Sharma fell after attempting to pull a ball off Narine, thus leaving MI at 46 for three by the end of the powerplay.
Amidst the tumbling wickets, Suryakumar Yadav remained a glimmer of hope for MI. He initially showcased resilience, knitting together a defiant innings. However, his lone soldier act was becoming increasingly strenuous as the wickets continued to crumble around him. MI’s situation deteriorated to 71 for six by the 12th over as Nehal Wadhera and Tilak Varma also fell prey to the disciplined bowling by Narine and Chakaravarthy, respectively. Another staggering hit came when Hardik Pandya was dismissed early by Andre Russell.
Faced with a steep required run rate, Tim David joined Suryakumar and began resurrecting MI’s chase. Suryakumar throttled MI back into the contest with impressive hitting, including a dominant over off Vaibhav Arora which yielded 20 precious runs. His diligent aggression earned him a fifty off just 30 balls.
As the thrilling climax approached, KKR’s bowlers felt pressure from the resurgent MI players. With 51 runs needed off the last five overs, Russell returned to stem the flow, successfully getting Suryakumar to top-edge a crucial delivery, ending his crucial innings of 56.
David, however, kept MI’s flickering hopes alive, smashing Starc for a six in the penultimate over. Yet, Starc had the final word, forcing David’s mishit to be caught at long-off, and soon removing Piyush Chawla and Gerald Coetzee to bundle out MI for 145, thus sealing KKR’s gripping victory.
