IPL 2021 | MI assists KKR in snatching defeat from jaws of victory

Rohit’s side suffers a collapse — from 86 for one to 152 — but suffocates Kolkata’s chase in back-10, thanks to Chahar, Krunal, Bumrah and Boult

Kolkata Knight Riders left no stone unturned in preparing for its nemesis, Mumbai Indians.

Eoin Morgan started with spin to keep Rohit Sharma & Co. quiet in the PowerPlay. He saved the express pace of Pat Cummins and Prasidh Krishna for Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya in the middle overs. The plans worked, with his side dismissing the five-time champion for 152.

But in the end, pressure got the better of KKR, as it lost by 10 runs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.

KKR started on a positive note, led by Nitish Rana (57, 47b, 6x4, 2x6), who found solid support in Shubman Gill (33). The opening partnership of 72 in 8.4 overs set the ball rolling for the men in purple before Rahul Chahar’s magic run began.

The leg-spinner picked up four wickets at a crucial juncture to turn the tide. Gill found Pollard at long-off while trying to clear the fence. Rahul Tripathi edged one to Quinton de Kock, Eoin Morgan failed to execute the hack and was caught at deep mid-wicket, and finally, the in-form Rana was stumped.

KKR needed to score 30 off the last four overs with five wickets in hand when left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya and speedster Jasprit Bumrah bowled two tight overs to Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik, conceding just seven runs.

Trent Boult removed Russell and Cummins in the final over to secure an improbable victory.

Getting into the act

Earlier, introduced into the attack in the 18th over, Russell came out of nowhere to pick up a five-for in his two overs, bowling around the wicket to right-handers.

The hustle began with Pollard’s wicket.

The other four to fall to Russell were Krunal, Jansen, Chahar and Bumrah.

Suryakumar Yadav’s 56 (36b, 7x4, 2x6) was the highlight of MI’s innings — the runs that mattered in the end.