Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became the first team in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 to guarantee their spot in the playoffs after defeating Mumbai Indians (MI) by 18 runs at the iconic Eden Gardens. This victory marks KKR’s ninth win of the season in what has undoubtedly been a spectacular campaign for the team.
Persistent rain over Kolkata forced the match to be shortened to 16-overs-a-side, adding a layer of unpredictability. Winning the toss, MI opted to field, setting the stage for a high-octane encounter. The match began in explosive fashion when Phil Salt hammered the very first ball, delivered by Nuwan Thushara, over long-off for a mammoth six. However, Salt’s aggression got the better of him later in the over, as he tried to lift another delivery over fine-leg, only to be caught in the deep.
The situation became even more dire for KKR when Jasprit Bumrah, in his first over, bowled Sunil Narine with a swinging full delivery, leaving the home team faltering at 10 for two. Venkatesh Iyer decided to counter-attack and epitomized the saying, “attack is the best form of defense.” He fearlessly took on Bumrah in the fourth over, despite an initial injury scare. Venkatesh’s audacious stroke play including two fours and a six, provided KKR a much-needed boost.
However, the wickets continued to tumble. Shreyas Iyer was bowled around his legs by Anshul Kamboj, and Nitish Rana, back from injury, joined Venkatesh on the pitch. Each partnership seemed short-lived, but important contributions were made. Venkatesh’s 21-ball 42 set the foundation, but his dismissal by Suryakumar Yadav off Piyush Chawla’s bowling in the ninth over was a big setback.
Andre Russell added firepower, smashing a six off just his second ball. Nitish Rana kept the scoreboard ticking till he was run out for 33 in the 12th over. Russell’s cameo of 24 off 14 balls and late cameos, including Rinku Singh’s 20 off 12 balls, and Ramandeep Singh’s unbeaten 17 off eight, led KKR to a competitive total of 157 for seven. Among MI’s bowlers, Piyush Chawla stood out with two for 28 in three overs, while Bumrah, who regained the purple cap, took two for 39 in his four overs. Kamboj was economical, bagging one for 24 in his three.
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In response, MI had a flying start thanks to Ishan Kishan’s blistering form. The score rocketed to 59 for no loss within five overs, with Ishan alone contributing 37 off 17 balls. Harshit Rana’s fourth over cost 15 runs, and Narine wasn’t spared either, going for a six and a four in his fifth over. Rohit Sharma, on the other end, rotated the strike efficiently after an early six off a free-hit.
The game took a turn in the middle overs courtesy of KKR’s spin trio. Sunil Narine removed the dangerous Ishan, caught at deep midwicket for 40 in the seventh over. Shortly after, Narine caught Rohit at short fine-leg off Varun Chakaravarthy’s bowling. MI, 81 for two by the 10th over, began to feel the pressure. Suryakumar Yadav seemed to be their hope, but Russell dashed MI’s ambitions by getting him to top-edge a pull to deep square-leg in the 11th over.
MI’s innings struggled to gain momentum as KKR’s spinners continued to choke the run flow and grab wickets at crucial junctures. Chakaravarthy finished with outstanding figures of two for 17 in his four overs, while Narine ended with one for 21 in his three. Russell’s impact was further felt when he dismissed Tim David for a duck, leaving MI in a precarious situation.
Tilak Varma battled hard to keep MI’s hopes alive. His efforts kept the chase interesting, but with the asking rate soaring, MI needed a big over to turn the tide. Some late aggression from Naman Dhir offered a glimmer of hope as MI required 41 from the final two overs. However, Harshit Rana stepped up and bowled a stellar final over, dismissing Dhir and ending Tilak’s valiant fight to secure victory for KKR.
The Eden Gardens erupted in celebration, marking another memorable chapter in KKR’s dominant season. With five wins out of seven matches at their home ground, KKR have left no stone unturned in their quest for glory this season.