MI vs KKR Review – Ishan, Surya steal limelight from Iyer’s ton by steering Mumbai’s chase
Mumbai Indians are back into the fray in the 16th edition of the tournament after dispatching Kolkata Knight Riders to register their second successive victory. The home side brushed aside the Men in Purple on the back of sublime innings from Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav.
Chasing a par total, the home side got off to a sensational start, thanks to Ishan Kishan’s explosive knock at the top of the innings. Despite losing Rohit Sharma after a well-made 20 off just 13 deliveries, the Mumbai Indians raced to 72 runs inside the first six overs, the fourth-highest powerplay score of IPL 2023.
Kishan’s breathtaking half-century followed by stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s belligerent innings had the home side in charge of the chase. Although Mumbai Indians lost a few wickets in the latter half of the chase, they got home without breaking a sweat to register their second successive win of the tournament.
Earlier in the match, it was the Venkatesh Iyer show as the tall KKR all-rounder smashed a sensational century, the second of this year’s tournament and first for the Kolkata-based franchise since Brendon McCullum’s historic ton in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008.
However, apart from Iyer, none of the visiting batters got going in the first innings, and it was only after a brisk cameo from Andre Russell that the Men in Purple managed a competitive, yet par, total of 185 runs in their 20 overs. It was a momentous occasion for Arjun Tendulkar, who opened the bowling for Mumbai Indians on his IPL debut.
Top performers from the match:
Venkatesh Iyer: The towering all-rounder from KKR etched his name into the record books after becoming only the second KKR batter to register a century in the illustrious competition. He smashed 104 runs in just 51 deliveries to take his side to a competitive total, only to end up on the losing side.
Ishan Kishan: Although there wasn’t much scoreboard pressure on the home side, young Indian opener Ishan Kishan ensured that they got off to a flying start during the field restrictions. The southpaw smashed a thunderous half-century in a rollicking start to the chase. It was his innings at the top of the order that made the chase a walk in the park for the five-time champions.
What next for both sides:
Mumbai Indians will travel to Hyderabad to take on an upbeat Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next fixture, while the Kolkata Knight Riders will be seen in action in the capital against the Delhi Capitals.
