Mumbai Indians (MI) has endured a challenging Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, facing defeat in a rain-shortened 16-over game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday. This loss marks the first time KKR has achieved a double victory against MI since 2014, propelling them to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Chasing a target of 158, MI fell short, finishing on 139/8. Despite a promising start with Ishan Kishan’s 40 runs, KKR’s spinners, Sunil Narine, and Varun Chakravarthy, took control, dismissing both openers. Surya Kumar Yadav’s dismissal by Andre Russell further hindered MI’s chase.
With only Tilak Varma (32 runs) and Naman Dhir (17 runs) offering notable contributions, MI’s batting lineup appeared eager to finish the game quickly. KKR’s spinners, along with Russell and Harshit Rana’s slower deliveries, proved too formidable, despite late fireworks from Varma and Dhir.
KKR’s assistant coach, Ryan Ten Doeschate, had previously emphasized the importance of ‘anti-bowling skills’ after the team’s failure to defend 261 runs. Since then, KKR has adjusted their lengths and successfully restricted MI, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals.
KKR’s innings began with a six but faced early setbacks as Phil Salt and Sunil Narine were dismissed cheaply by Jasprit Bumrah. Venkatesh Iyer’s 42 runs provided some stability before he was caught out. Shreyas Iyer also fell victim to MI’s bowling, exposing his leg stump to Anshul Kamboj.
Despite losing key wickets, KKR managed to post a respectable 157/7, thanks to useful contributions from Russell (24 runs), Rinku Singh (20 runs), and Nitish Rana (33 runs). Ramandeep Singh’s six off Bumrah capped off the innings, demonstrating KKR’s newfound confidence this season.
