TATA IPL 2024 Match 51 , MI Vs KKR - Match Report
In a dramatic game where the pendulum swung from one end to the other, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) sealed a 24-run victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI). The margin of victory doesn’t reveal how close the match was, but both sides had their moments, however, KKR held their nerve and clinched a victory at the Wankhede Stadium against MI in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after 12 years.
MI put KKR in to bat, and the initial stage reflected the belief in that decision. KKR’s innings had everything within the powerplay – wickets, runs and drama. The visitors were 57 for four at the end of six overs, and a ball later, they lost their fifth. That phase saw some good strokeplay, but also some good bowling that saw MI take early wickets. It all started in the first over when Phil Salt top-edged one and was caught in the covers by Tilak Varma – amidst some confusion with Naman Dhir. Nuwan Thushara was the bowler who started off for MI.
There was some combative strokeplay, but wickets fell at regular intervals for KKR. In the third over, Thushara struck twice again when he first dismissed Angkrish Raghuvanshi and then Shreyas Iyer. That brought Venkatesh Iyer to the crease, who held the innings together and batted through to the end of the innings for KKR. Sunil Narine welcomed Hardik Pandya by hitting a six through the leg-side in the fifth over, but the MI captain had his revenge when he bowled him off the next ball.
The runs flowed for KKR but the wickets were a worry. Soon after the powerplay, Piyush Chawla had Rinku Singh dismissed cheaply. At 57 for five in the seventh over, KKR were in deep trouble. That is when Manish Pandey was unveiled as the Impact Player. It was an important move as Pandey and Venkatesh added 83 in the next ten overs. This helped KKR recover and ensured their bowlers had something to bowl at.
The partnership was measured and got boundaries to ensure the pace of the innings. Pandey scored 42 off 31 balls with two fours and two sixes. KKR continued to lose wickets in the backend, with Venkatesh soldiering on – well past his fifty. They were eventually bowled out for 169 – with Venkaresh dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah off the last ball of the innings. While Thushara did the damage for MI in the powerplay with his three wickets, Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers with three in the slog overs. He finished with a spell of three for 18.
A target of 170 may have given MI the belief that they were in with a good chance – especially considering the trends in the Tata IPL. Ishan Kishan started off well in the second over smashing a four and six off Mitchell Starc. However, in an attempt to hit another big shot, he was castled by the left-armer. Dhir came in at No. 3 but in the fifth over, Varun Chakaravarthy bowled him.
The drama almost mirrored the KKR powerplay as MI got a few boundaries in that phase but lost far too many wickets. Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Narine in the sixth over while trying to pull one through mid-wicket. MI finished the powerplay at 46 for three.
While Suryakumar Yadav seemed to settle at one end, the wickets continued to fall for MI at the other. By the 12th over, they were down to 71 for six – with the target looking far away. Narine and Chakaravarthy maintained the pressure, earning the wickets of Nehal Wadhera and Tilak, respectively. Andre Russell delivered a big blow by getting Hardik Pandya out early.
This brought Tim David and Suryakumar together. Suryakumar decided to take the attack to KKR and help MI get back into the match. He was in his typical attacking mood when he picked up 20 runs off Vaibhav Arora’s over in the 14th and raced away to a 30-ball fifty. The required rate seemed to be in control, especially with David and Suryakumar in the middle.
As the slog overs approached, even KKR felt the pressure. After all, MI needed 51 off the last five. This is when Russell returned to the attack and got Suryakumar to top-edge one.
MI’s trump-card was out for 56. David’s presence kept the hopes up for MI and when he hit Mitchell Starc for a six through the leg-side in the 19th over, the hosts still sensed a chance with 26 to get off 11.
Starc then got David to hit one flat to Shreyas at long-off. Piyush Chawla was dismissed first ball as he was caught at cover. Later in the over, Starc sealed the deal when he bowled Gerald Coetzee, earning KKR the victory.