The Kolkata Knight Riders have exorcised a long-standing demon, defeating the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in a low-scoring thriller. This victory, achieved in Match 51 of IPL 2024, marks the end of a 12-year wait for KKR at Mumbai’s iconic venue. The last time they emerged victorious at Wankhede was back in 2012. However, it was their only win against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in the history of the IPL.
Slow Start for KKR: Early Wickets Put Pressure on Batting
Being put to bat first after losing the toss, KKR faced an uphill battle on a sluggish wicket. Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thushara proved a menace early on, dismissing the dangerous Phil Salt in the first over. Thushara continued his impressive spell, removing young Angkrish Raghuvanshi and skipper Shreyas Iyer cheaply in the third over, leaving KKR reeling at 23/3.
The Kolkata innings looked in danger of complete collapse, but a crucial partnership between Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey brought much-needed stability. The duo stitched together a valuable 83-run stand, reviving KKR’s hopes. While Andre Russell threatened with a six before a costly run-out, Iyer anchored the innings with a well-compiled 70 off 52 balls. Jasprit Bumrah’s death bowling restricted the flow of runs in the final overs, restricting KKR to a total of 140 all out in 19.5 overs.
Spin Takes Center Stage: Chakaravarthy and Narine Weave a Web
Chasing a modest target on a tricky surface, Mumbai Indians faced a challenging task. Ishan Kishan’s early dismissal by Mitchell Starc put them on the back foot. Kolkata’s decision to introduce spin early in the powerplay proved effective, with Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine picking up crucial wickets. Both spinners finished with identical figures of 2/22, leaving MI reeling at 71/6.
Just when defeat seemed imminent, Suryakumar Yadav sparked a glimmer of hope for Mumbai with a well-timed knock. However, Andre Russell ended his resistance with a perfectly executed full-toss dismissal. Tim David provided some late fireworks, but Mitchell Starc returned in the 19th over to extinguish Mumbai’s hopes. He conceded a six off the first ball but bounced back superbly, taking three wickets and conceding just one run in the remaining five deliveries. Starc eventually finished with 4 wickets in 3.5 overs, leaking just 33 runs in his spell. This exceptional bowling display sealed the win for KKR, dismissing Mumbai for 145 in 18.5 overs.
Knight Riders Celebrate Historic Victory
This victory holds immense significance for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Not only does it extend their winning streak in the IPL, but it also marks a symbolic breaking free from their 12-year Wankhede jinx. Venkatesh Iyer’s fighting knock and Mitchell Starc’s match-winning bowling performance were instrumental in this historic triumph for the Knight Riders.
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