KOLKATA Knight Riders failed to cash in on the initial momentum as Mumbai Indians bowlers fought back strongly to restrict the defending champions to 159 for six in a Pepsi IPL game in Kolkata on Wednesday (April 24).
After being hammered for 46 runs in the first three overs, MI bowlers led by Pragyan Ojha (2/22) and Lasith Malinga (2/25) took full advantage of the slow track giving away only 113 runs in the next 17 overs.
While Jacques Kallis (37), Manoj Tiwary (33) and Eoin Morgan (31) made useful contributions but none of them went onto play a big one. However with Sunil Narine and Sachitra Senanayeke in their ranks, KKR still have a score which they can very well defend.
The final five overs of the innings yielded only 47 runs as Malinga got two wickets giving away only three runs in the final over of the innings.
KKR couldn’t have dreamt of a better script when Yusuf Pathan (19) and Guatam Gambhir plundered 26 runs off the very first over bowled by Harbhajan Singh. It included three fours and a six from Pathan while Gambhir also helped himself to a huge six.
But senior Pathan’s woeful IPL continued as in the very next over, Micthell Johnson bowled one close to his body and his steer was taken by Harbhajan standing a bit wide off first slip.
Gambhir and Jacques Kallis couldn’t fully cash in on the momentum but still added 41 runs for the second wicket before the skipper in his bid to step up the rate holed out to Harbhajan off Ojha’s bowling. Gambhir managed 26 off 20 balls with two fours and a six.
Kallis (37, 38 balls, 4×4) as usual dropped anchor and finally got out as his uppish cover drive off Ojha was caught by stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma.
Young Haryana leggie Yuzvendra Chahal (0/34 in 4 overs) also did an admirable job till Tiwary partially damaged his figures with a six and a four.
Morgan tried his innovative shots but slowness of the pitch proved to be a hindrance as he was out after scoring 25-ball-31 (4×4, 1×6) after adding 54 runs with Tiwary (33, 24 balls, 2×4, 1×6) for the fourth wicket.
