Rohit Sharma blossomed at the Eden Gardens yet again, guiding Mumbai Indians to victory with an unbeaten 84.
Mumbai Indians’s good run at the Eden Gardens continues
Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians continued to enjoy their propitious
relationship with Eden Gardens as the former summoned another winning
knock to snuff out home favourite Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets
and five balls to spare. Sharma scored an unbeaten 84 to remain the
mainstay in the successful run chase after KKR posted a challenging 187
for five after being asked to bat first by the visitor.
Rohit Sharma, who could manage just seven as MI made losing start at
home against Rising Pune Supergiants, was a transformed man arriving in
his favourite venue and gave adequate reason to the claim with the
outstanding performance that came in 54 balls with 10 boundaries and a
big six. Sharma, who had aggregated a fantastic 251 runs in the previous
four innings at Eden, shared two big partnerships – 53 runs for the
opening stand with Parthiv Patel (23) and 66 runs for the fourth wicket
with Jos Butler (41) – to see defending champion Mumbai Indians safely
across the target and pick up the first win of the season in the
process.
Apart from Sharma’s fantastic performance, New Zealand all-rounder
Mitchell McClenaghan (20) provided the pyrotechnics hitting three sixes
in his eight-ball stay. McClenaghan, who was promoted up the order after
Patel’s dismissal, added the adrenalin and opened the scope for a
fantastic win for Mumbai Indians.
Manish Pandey and Russell Arnold provided the high octane in the run
compilation process while captain Gautam Gambhir held the helm to see
Knight Riders reach a strong 187 for five in the allotted 20 overs.
Robin Uthappa, who played a responsible knock of 35 in the first outing
against Delhi Daredevils, departed early mistiming an intended pull on a
short delivery from the left-arm pacer McClenaghan. West Indian
all-rounder Keiron Pollard took an easy catch at cover to inflict an
early damage on the host, which did not appear to be in a strong
position at the moment.
The wicket in the fourth over could have derailed the KKR innings but
Manish Pandey had different ideas and stepped on the acceleration
process. Pandey hit three sixes and as many boundaries in his stay of 29
balls. Pandey’s 52 came handy for KKR which had reached 121 by the time
he departed in the 14th over unable to read a clever top-spin from the
wily Harbhajan Singh.
Russell justified his status as the team’s big hitter firing four huge
sixes that propelled the KKR run rate to a greater height. Russell
looked poised at getting KKR to a bigger score but perished in the
attempt to hit another one out of the park. Russell, who scored 36 off
17 balls (1x4, 4x6) dragged a rising delivery from McClenaghan on the
stumps. Gambhir, who got two lives in his patient 64 (52b, 4x4, 1x6)
could not stay till the finish and the host failed to reach 200 which
looked probable at one moment.
KKR 187/5 (20.0 Ovs)
MI 188/4 (19.1 Ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by 6 wkts
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