Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Friday. MI made one change to their lineup, bringing in Naman Dhir in place of Mohammad Nabi, while KKR fielded the same playing XI.
MI’s decision to bowl first proved to be a wise one as they restricted KKR to a modest total of 165/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers for MI, claiming 5/10 in his four overs. He was ably supported by Piyush Chawla, who took 2/22.
In reply, MI got off to a solid start with Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav putting on a 50-run partnership for the first wicket. However, KKR fought back with wickets at regular intervals, including the key scalps of Kishan and Yadav.
Despite the setbacks, MI managed to stay in the hunt thanks to a crucial 35-run knock from Tim David. However, with the asking rate climbing, MI eventually fell short by 10 runs, finishing on 155/9.
KKR’s victory was largely due to their disciplined bowling performance, led by Bumrah. The Indian pacer was unplayable at times, consistently hitting the right areas and generating good pace. Chawla also played a key role, providing control and picking up crucial wickets.
For MI, the defeat was a disappointing one, as they failed to capitalize on their strong start. Kishan and Yadav looked in good touch, but they were unable to convert their starts into big scores. David’s late cameo gave MI a glimmer of hope, but it was ultimately not enough.
