IPL 2024, MI vs KKR Highlights: Knight Riders spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy strangled the Mumbai Indians batters in the first 10 overs as the hosts chase a target of 170. MI were reduced to 61/4 in the ninth over with Narine sending back Rohit Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy getting Naman Dhir and Tilak Varma. Mitchell Starc dismissed Ishan Kishan in the second over. Starc went on to finish the match in spectacular fashion, taking three wickets in the second last over and thus helping KKR win by 24 runs. The Australian pacer finished with figures of 4/33 and KKR recorded their first victory over MI at the Wankhede Stadium.
Earlier, KKR’s top order was shredded apart by MI inside the first seven overs of their innings after Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl first at the Wankhede. Nuwan Thushara dismissed Phil Salt in the first over of the match and then got the wickets of Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Shreyas Iyer in the third. Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, bowled the second over and gave just two runs away. Hardik Pandya then cleaned up Sunil Narine after which Piyush Chawla sent back Rinku Singh with his first ball of the match in the seventh over.
Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey then put up a partnership of 83 runs off 62 balls that resurrected the innings somewhat. Jasprit Bumrah was saved up until the last five overs came around. He ended up stopping KKR’s progress when at one point they looked capable of reaching 190, taking three wickets in the death overs. KKR were hence all out for a score of 169.
KKR are looking to take one step closer to assuring a spot in playoffs as they face a struggling Mumbai Indians outfit on Friday. The two sides are at the opposite poles of the points table; positioned second with six victories from nine encounters, KKR appear well on course for a playoff berth. However, to consolidate their standing, Shreyas Iyer’s contingent must seek consistency across all facets of the game and evade potential setbacks.
Despite KKR’s formidable batting arsenal and an aggressive approach yielding dividends, their bowling department has faced scrutiny. Mitchell Starc’s expensive economy rate of nearly 12 runs per over, coupled with a modest tally of seven wickets in eight outings headlines the team’s bowling woes. Harshit Rana’s spirited performances, comprising 11 wickets, have been commendable, albeit marred by a one-match ban following over-the-top celebrations. Vaibhav Arora’s nine scalps in five appearances present a glimmer of hope, especially on a Wankhede Stadium pitch conducive to high-scoring encounters.
Meanwhile, Rinku Singh’s omission from India’s T20 World Cup main squad has sparked a wave of sympathy for the power-hitter, whose limited game time this season has possibly influenced the selectors’ decision.
Conversely, Mumbai Indians find themselves in a different struggle altogether, with the playoffs seemingly beyond reach despite five games remaining. While the exploits of bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah and Gerald Coetzee have been noteworthy, the collective failure of the batting unit has defined their underwhelming season.
Tilak Varma’s commendable contributions notwithstanding, the team’s inability to rally collectively has impeded their progress. Ishan Kishan’s sporadic displays and the powerplay woes underscore Mumbai Indians’ struggles, highlighting the urgency for remedial measures.
With the T20 World Cup looming, India skipper Rohit Sharma’s form assumes added significance, with the veteran striving for consistency in the IPL. Suryakumar Yadav has had an inconsistent season and hasn’t lived up to his reputation which is also a concern as India head into the T20 World Cup in a month’s time. As scrutiny intensifies on Mumbai Indians’ under-fire skipper Hardik Pandya, his inclusion as vice-captain in the World Cup squad presents an opportunity for redemption, both with bat and ball.
