After Ambati Rayudu and skipper Rohit Sharma seemed like taking the charge for the Mumbai Indians against the Kolkata Knight Riders after they faltered in the first half of their chase of KKR’s 163 in their ongoing IPL 2014 encounter, the KKR bowlers have come back well to get both the set batsmen out and almost seal a KKR victory in Abu Dhabi. Mumbai are currently placed at 113 for the loss of five wickets at the end of the 18.1 overs, and need another 51 runs from the remaining two overs.
With the required run rate reaching impossible heights, Keiron Pollard will have to unleash the beasts in them to script a magical victory here.
Rayudu and Rohit were looking the part during their stay in the middle, but Morne Morkel and Sunil Narine bowled two exceptional overs to seal KKR’s grip on this match.
Earlier in the innings, opening the batting in the blue of MI for the first time, Michael Hussey didn’t look like his usual IPL self as he could manage just three off the 13 deliveries he faced before Sunil Narine castled him in the fifth over. R Vinay Kumar and Morne Morkel started the attack for the Knight Riders, and the latter bowled an inspired first spell as he conceded just two runs off his first two overs. He also clocked speeds of over 150 consistently. The pacers’ good work was duly followed by the spinners as Narine got the prized wicket of Hussey in his very first over.
Shakib Al Hasan too has bowled well, as he ended the brief cameo of Aditya Tare in the eighth over. With Piyush Chawla too coming into the attack, it will be interesting to see which bowlers the Mumbai batsmen target from here. Mumbai will be pinning all their hopes now on Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma (the two men in the centre now), and also their crisis-men.
Tare was dismissed as he danced down the track to Shakib Al Hasan and got a top edge. The catch was taken by Shakib himself as he ran back and jugled with it before safely pouching it.
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