WinDaddy bring yet another rock stumbling match between Mumbai Indian and Kolkata Knight Riders with a close shave tussle cheering all its promising potential loyalist subscribers. The season 14 has witnessed the history in making for Mumbai Indians who are all time favourites of the IPLT20
Defending Mumbai Indians defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 wickets in match No 5 of the Indian Premier League 2021 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. In pursuit of a 153-run target, KKR were restricted to 142 for 7 in 20 overs. Nitish Rana top-scored for KKR with a 47-ball 57 and gets the Orange Cap. MI spinner Rahul Chahar was the pick of the bowlers who returned with 4/27 – his best bowling figures in an IPL innings. Earlier, Andre Russell claimed a five-wicket haul to register his best IPL bowling figures as Kolkata Knight Riders bowled out Mumbai Indians for 152 after opting to field. Russell returned with the figures of 5/15 in 2 overs to register his best bowling figures in IPL. Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with 56 off 36 balls while the MI captain contributed with 43 off 32 balls.
The Knight Riders’ first five overs were bowled by spinners. After the returning Quinton de Kock fell in the second over, Suryakumar Yadav offset the early loss quickly. He forced Harbhajan Singh to tweak his line by sweeping him from way outside off, so when he went straighter, Yadav brought out his steely wristwork out to whip him over midwicket. Then, Singh teased him by tossing one up outside off, only to be creamed through extra cover. Yadav had three fours in his first five and Mumbai were on their way, finishing the powerplay on 42 for 1.
Rahul Chahar, Krunal Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah pulled a rabbit out of the hat to give Mumbai Indians their first win in IPL 2021. Down and out in their defence of 153, they strung together pressure on a slow surface and then let Knight Riders crack.
Trent Boult then delivered a masterclass, first deceiving Andre Russell with a slower ball and then destroying Pat Cummins’ off-stump with a searing yorker to close the game out. Mumbai had extended their dominance over the Knight Riders, winning 10 out of their last 11 games against them.
Chahar had a fourth when he had Rana stumped off a slider that he pushed through as the batsman advanced. At that point, Knight Riders were tottering at 122 for 5. It could’ve become 123 for 6 had Krunal Pandya held on to a return catch off Russell. The tension was palpable. Bumrah had two overs remaining
Russell certainly wasn’t fancying a big hit, but only until he was helped along by a no-ball. The free-hit was whacked to the fence, the shackles were broken and Knight Riders appeared to have recovered. But Bumrah, coming in with 19 needed off 12, delivered an excellent penultimate over, attacking Russell with the short ball into the body and then besting Karthik with his change in pace to leave them with 15 to get in the final over.