Kolkata survive scare in high-scoring Mumbai clash

Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders survived a Hardik Pandya scare before notching up a 34-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Eden Gardens on Sunday and keep their Indian Premier League chances alive.

The hosts, after being put in to bat by Mumbai, rode on impressive knocks from openers Shubman Gill (76) and Chris Lynn (54). Kolkata’s in-form Andre Russell (80 not out), promoted to No. 3, kept the pressure on Mumbai bowlers to give the hosts a mammoth score of 232 for two in 20 overs.

Kolkata seemed to have the match in their bag until ninth over. At 58 for four in 8.2 overs, Hardik walked in to join Kieron Pollard and it started raining fours and sixes, with Indian all-rounder doing most of the damage. But with Hardik’s exit, 91 off 34 balls 6 fours and nine sixes, ended Mumbai’s hopes on the last ball of 18th over.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals moved atop the IPL points tally and all but sealed their place in the play-offs after a clinical effort saw them register a comprehensive 16-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Feroz Shah Kotla here yesterday.

Chasing Delhi’s total of 187/5, RCB managed to score 171/7 as the Delhi boys recorded their eighth win to take their tally to 16 points from 12 games. RCB are all but out of the tournament after suffering their eighth defeat of the season.

RCB started the run chase beautifully with Parthiv Patel tearing into the Delhi attack and skipper Virat Kohli looking happy to play the second fiddle. But just when it looked like RCB would run away with the game, Kagiso Rabada sent back Parthiv (39; 31 balls, 4x7, 6x1), caught brilliantly by Axar Patel.

AB de Villiers then joined Kohli and the two looked to settle down. But Kohli (23) ended up hitting a half tracker from Axar straight to Sherfane Rutherford at deep midwicket.

De Villiers (17) too failed to convert his start and Shivam Dube (24) was dismissed against the run of play as DC clawed their way back into the game.

Winning the toss and batting first, Delhi rode on fifties by Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer to post a challenging total. Dhawan (50) and Iyer (52) put on 68 runs for the second wicket.

Sherfane Rutherford (28*) and Axar Patel (16*) finished well as the RCB bowlers failed to drive home the initiative even after sending back the established batsmen.

Delhi started well even though they lost Prithvi Shaw (18 off 10) as Umesh Yadav had him caught behind by Parthiv Patel. With the score reading 35/1 in the fourth over, skipper Iyer joined Dhawan in the middle. This was Dhawan’s fifth half-century of the season.

Scores

Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by 34 runs. Kolkata 232 for two in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 76, Chris Lynn 54, Andre Russel 80 not out) Mumbai Indians 198 for seven (Suryakumar Yadav 26, Hardik Pandya 91, Sunil Narine 2/44, Harry Gurney 2/37, Andre Russel 2/25)

Delhi Capitals beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 16 runs. Delhi Capitals 187/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 52, Shikhar Dhawan 50; Yuzvendra Chahal 2/41) Royal Challengers Bangalore 171/7 in 20 overs (Parthiv Patel 39, Marcus Stoinis 32 not out; Amit Mishra 2/29, Kagiso Rabada 2/31).