Jasprit Bumrah’s best-ever figures (5/10) in the IPL had seized the momentum for Mumbai Indians versus Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
But Mumbai’s inept batting let Bumrah down. In response to the Knight Riders’ 165 for 9, Mumbai were all out for 113 in 17.3 overs.
The Knight Riders, though, couldn’t have asked for anything better, especially after losing six wickets for 29 from being 136 for 3 in the 15th over. This comprehensive 52-run victory still keeps the Knights’ play-off hopes afloat.
Bumrah produced a masterclass with the ball to stun the Knights. The India pace spearhead even bowled a three-wicket maiden in the 18th over of the innings.
His performance also turned out to be the second best bowling figures by an Indian in the tournament, next to Anil Kumble’s 5/5 for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2009.
However, the Knight Riders bowlers, particularly Pat Cummins (one of the five changes in the XI) and Andre Russell, responded well to the challenge.
It was Tim Southee who gave KKR the breakthrough, taking the crucial scalp of Rohit Sharma in the first over of Mumbai’s reply. The Mumbai captain, though, was peeved at being given out caught behind by the TV umpire. Replays showed a spike even before the ball had passed Rohit’s bat, and that led to the controversy.
But that aside, none of the Mumbai batsmen, barring Ishan Kishan (51), showed character. They also missed Suryakumar Yadav, who has been ruled out of the remainder of this IPL with a left forearm muscle injury.
Earlier, Venkatesh Iyer (43) looked well set for a fifty in his comeback game but lost his wicket to a needless stroke.
A screen shot of Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, caught behind off Tim Southee’s bowling Twitter
Superb short stuff
The Knights had pinned hopes on Nitish Rana (43) and Russell for an ideal finish after Shreyas Iyer departed early. But Bumrah stood in the way.
If the ball to dismiss Russell was a bit short of good length, he executed the short-pitched stuff to superb effect to get rid of Rana, Cummins, Sheldon Jackson and Sunil Narine in no time. Yet, Bumrah couldn’t have the last laugh.
