Kolkata: Hardik Pandya (91, 34b, 6×4, 9×6) scintillating innings wasn’t enough as Mumbai Indians (MI) fell short by 34 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a high-scoring IPL encounter here Sunday.
Chasing a mammoth 233 runs for victory, MI seemd lost in the battle early on slumping to 58/4 in the ninth over, bur Hardik came all guns blazing as the Baroda batsman hit almost every KKR bowler out of the park to take his team on the brink of an resounding victory.
However, just as it seemed that MI will romp home, Harry Gurney (2/37) provided the muck important breakthrough dismissing Hardik to lift KKR to 10 points with two games to go. Sunil Narine (2/44) and Andre Russell (2/25) also bowled well.
Earlier, KKR batsmen fired on all cylinders to post this season’s highest total – 232/2.
Staring at elimination following a six-match losing streak, the embattled side got off to a fiery start with Shubman Gill (76, 45b, 6×4, 4×6 ) and Chris Lynn (54, 29b, 8×4, 2×6) putting on a 96-run opening stand, their highest this season, after Rohit Sharma opted to bowl in his 100th match as captain.
Russell (80 n o, 40b, 6×4, 8×6), KKR’s biggest impact player of the season, was finally seen higher up the order at No.3 and the West Indies power-hitter ensured that his team finish on a high.
Russell hammered the MI bowlers out of the park as KKR creamed 75 runs from the last five overs and scored 135 in the final 10. However, fielding let down MI big time with both Lynn and Russell dropped early in their innings by Kieron Pollard and Evin Lewis respectively.
The top-order batting was all about the sheer class of the 19-year-old Gill, who showed why he is billed as the future star of Indian cricket. Along with Russell, the youngster shared 62 runs from 35 balls of which Gill had a share of 34, while Russell scored 24.
The U-19 World Cup winner was at his best against Rahul Chahar (1/54) and three of his four sixes came against the leg-spinner. Such was the sheer class of Gill that the Jamaican was glad to play second fiddle.
Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 232/2 (Andre Russell 80 n o, Shubman Gill 76) beat Mumbai Indians 198/7 (Hardik Pandya 91; Andre Russell 2/25) by 34 runs.
