IPL 2014 update, KKR vs MI: Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by 6 wickets
Rohit Sharma (51 off 45) was top scorer for Mumbai. Kolkata had elected to field first. FULL COVERAGE
Opting to bowl, KKR restricted MI to 141 for five, and then chased down the target with eight balls to spare.
Brief scores: 142/4 in 18.4 overs (Robin Uthappa 80; Harbhajan Singh 2/22). FULL COVERAGE
Following a steady start after being invited to bat first, Mumbai Indians managed to put up a defendable total with skipper Rohit Sharma's (51 off 45)clinical innings. Sharma was well supported by A Rayudu (33 0ff 27) in taking the visitors to 141.
19.2 over: Rohit Sharma bowled out by Narine. Mumbai lose fifth wicket
15.6 over: Morne Morkel takes the much-needed wicket...Corey Anderson (18 off 12) caught out by Piyush Chawla. Mumbai loses its fourth wicket.
14.0 over: Mumbai 93/3, Rohit Sharma (20 off 27) and Corey Anderson (14 off 8) on crease
11.5 over: Piyush Chawla scalps Rayudu (33 off 27), Mumbai lose three
9.0 over: Mumbai Indians 56/2, Rohit Sharma (7 off 13) and Rayudu (25 off 20) of crease
5.1 over: Simmons (12 0ff 14) falls prey to Shakib Al Hasan, Mumbai lose second wicket
2.2 over: Gautam gave an easy catch to Surya Yadav. Morne Morkel draws first blood.
2.0 over: Mumbai 12/0, Simmons and Gautam on crease
Mumbai openers Lendl Simmons and Chidambaram Gautam already on the crease and action is about to begin. Morne Morkel will open KKR's bowling attack.
Kolkata have brought in Shakib Al Hasan for Kallis whereas, Mumbai will be playing with their unchanged playing XI.
Toss: KKR elect to field first
Kolkata Knight Riders:
The 2012 IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, failed to live up to the expectations of their fans following their seventh-place finish with a mere 12 points last season. Led by one of the finest Indian batsmen Gautam Gambhir, the team in golden blue is coached by Australian veteran Trevor Bayliss alongside the bowling mentor Brett Lee.
While eyeing their second title this season, KKR bought explosive batsmen Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn and Manish Pandey alongside a heavy list of renowned bowlers during the IPL auction this year.
Kolkata boasts two of the most consistent players in the batting and bowling department. KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir was the team's highest run-scorer with 406 runs in 16 matches last season while mystery spinner Sunil Narine bagged 22 wickets in 16 matches.
The batting legend Jacques Kallis alongside Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey add to the powerful KKR top-order. Their middle-order is bolstered by Yusuf Pathan and Chris Lynn followed by all-rounders Shakib Al Hasan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Andre Russell and Manvinder Bisla.
With a variety in their bowling attack, KKR pose a serious threat to their oppositions. South African speedster Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Pat Cummins and Vinay Kumar form a dangerous seam-bowling attack while Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla add to the spin-bowling of the 2012 champions.
After splashing a greater amount just on the bowlers this year, Shah Rukh Khan co-owned KKR boasts of a formidable bowling attack that could very well land them another title this year.
Mumbai Indians:
The 2011 Champions League winners finally clinched their highly-awaited IPL title in 2013 which was followed by their second Champions League title in the same year. The team in blue, coached by John Wright, avaenged their 2010 final defeat by beating Chennai Super Kings in the IPL final last season.
After splurging nearly Rs 60 crore in the IPL auctions this year, Mumbai Indians boasts of numerous match-winners including the recently bought Mike Hussey and T20s hottest property - Corey Anderson. The team also retained their top-five performers ahead of the IPL auctions this year.
Mumbai Indians are undoubtedly one of the strongest teams on paper this season. The team boasts core players including Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma and Harbhajan Singh.
Pragyan Ojha will cater to the spin bowling for Mumbai Indians, while newbie Josh Hazlewood and Krishmar Santokie will provide support to Malinga with the new ball.
Five key players from Kolkata Knight Riders:
Sunil Narine: The mystery spinner from West Indies, Sunil Narine, was been one of the most influential players for the KKR during their victorious IPL campaign in 2012. Narine was also the highest wicket-taker for KKR with 22 wickets in 16 matches last season. His exemplary performances also helped him in bagging the Player of the Tournament award in 2012. His ability to bowl tidy overs in pressure situations gives an edge to KKR's bowling department.
Gautam Gambhir: Indian opening batsman, Gautam Gambhir, was one of the most consistent performers for KKR last season. The skipper, while leading from the front, helped Kolkata to it's first-ever IPL title victory in 2012. The left-hander was also the highest run-scorer with 406 runs in 16 matches last season. Apart from being a devastating batsman, Gambhir is an active and responsible skipper on field.
Robin Uthappa: The 27-year-old explosive batsman was the top run-scorer for now-defunct Sahara Pune Warriors with 405 runs in 16 matches in 2012. He is an outstanding fielder, a reliable wicketkeeper and can even bowl slow medium pace. Following the termination of Pune Warriors in 2013, Uthappa was bought for a whopping Rs 5 crore by Kolkata Knight Riders during the IPL auctions this year. His availability in the team will provide the much-needed balance at the top-order for Kolkata.
Shakib Al Hasan: The 27-year-old Bangladesh all-rounder is the lone player from his country to play in the prestigious IPL. Arguably the most successfull cricketer from Bangladesh, Shakib is a prolific batsman, wicket-taking bowler and an athletic fielder. With over 600 runs and 42 wickets in just 31 T20 internationals, Shakib boasts of a potential match-winner. Though he didn't feature in either of the matches in KKR's 2013 IPL campaign, Shakib could very well be the knight in shining armour for Kolkata this year.
Vinay Kumar: The 30-year-old Indian seamer was a livewire for Royal Challengers Bangalore last season. Kumar bagged 23 wickets in just 16 games for RCB last season, a reason why Kolkata splurged a whopping Rs 2.8 crore to secure his services this year. With a strike-rate of just under 19, Kumar relies on outswingers and street-smart legcutters to bamboozle the batsmen. His ability to bowl with a disciplined line and length especially at the death overs, makes him a crucial buy for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Five key players from Mumbai Indians:
Corey Anderson: The 23-year-old New Zealand player was known for his powerful hitting but his record-breaking 36-ball ODI hundred made him an overnight star across the globe. With the ability to clear the ropes at regular intervals, Anderson is just the guy you need to take the game away from the opposition. Apart from his batting prowess, Anderson is a more-than-handy seamer with a knack of picking wickets at crucial intervals. His all-round abilities also earned him a whopping Rs 4.5 crore after Mumbai Indians secured the services of the Kiwi sensation during IPL 2014 auction. The Christchurch batsman will surely be one of the most influential players in the IPL this year.
Lasith Malinga: The biggest reason why Mumbai are feared by their opponents are Malinga's toe-crushing yorkers. He was pivotal with 20 scalps in 17 games in Mumbai India's victorious 2013 IPL campaign. He will continue to lead the bowling and will hope the batsmen can keep up their end of the deal this time around.
Kieron Pollard: The 26-year-old Trinidadian cricketer has been one of the most influential players for Mumbai over the years. A prolific batsman, wicket-taking bowler and an absolute livewire in the field, Pollard has the right mix of being a successful limited-overs specialist. The right-hander slammed 420 runs and took 10 wickets to lead Mumbai to their first-ever IPL title last season. Kieron Pollard will need to continue his good run if Mumbai intend to successfully defend their title this year.
Michael Hussey: The 38-year-old Australian run-machine was sensational at the top-order for Chennai Super Kings last season. The left-hander was the tournament's leading run-scorer with 733 runs in 17 matches, a reason why Mumbai Indians paid a whopping Rs 5 crore to secure his services. He will play a crucial role in stabilising the innings for early in the batting-order for Mumbai.
Rohit Sharma: While he faced a lot of criticism for his performances in an Indian shirt, Rohit Sharma has been an absolute sensation with the bat for Mumbai Indians. The right-handed batsman has amassed over 2500 runs and took 14 wickets in 97 games for Mumbai in his IPL career. He was also the leading run-scorer with over 500 runs for Mumbai Indians in their victorious 2013 IPL season. The Mumbai skipper will face stern test in defending the team's title against arch-rivals this season.