IPL8 MI vs KKR: Mumbai beat Kolkata by 5 runs

Mumbai Indians scored a thrilling five-run victory against Kolkata Knight Riders to stay alive in the IPL in Mumbai on Thursday.

Pathan, who scored 52, was the key for the Kolkata team when they needed  12 from the last over.

But Pollard, bowling his first over of the match, removed Pathan and then gave away only six runs to give Mumbai the crucial win.

KKR INNINGS

The big wicket falls as Pathan gets a top edge for an easy catch to the wicketkeeper. KKR need 12 from five balls. KKR 160-7 in 19.1 overs.

Yusuf Pathan c Patel b Pollard 52 (37b 5x4 2x6)

Pathan smashes a huge six off Malinga to get to his half century. His innings included five boundaries and two sixes.

The game headed to a close finish as Yadav falls after Rayudu takes a great catch in the deep. KKR 144-6 in 17.1 overs.

Suryakumar Yadav c Rayudu b McClenaghan 11 (5b 2x4 0x6)

Russell succumbs as he gets an edge going for a big one. KKR 128-5 in 15.5 overs.

Andre Russell c Patel b Malinga 2 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Mumbai picks up a wicket at crucial time as Shakib departs holing one to Pandya off Vinay bowling. KKR 118-4 in 14.2 overs.

Shakib Al Hasan c Pandya b Vinay Kumar 23 (15b 3x4 0x6)

The dangerman Gambhir departs much to the relief of Mumbai. He is bowled by Suchith. KKR 88-3 in 11 overs.

Gambhir Gambhir b Suchith 38 (29b 5x4 0x6)

Another blow for KKR as Manish Pandey is run out. Great work from Simmons. Trouble for Kolkata. KKR 46-2 in 5.5 overs.

Manish Pandey run out 1 (1b 0x4 0x6)

After providing a great start, Uthappa succumbs to Harbhajan Singh. Malinga fumbled but managed to hold on to the catch in his second attempt. KKR 45-1 in 5.3 overs.

Robin Uthappa c Malinga b Harbhajan Singh 25 (20b 3x4 1x6)

Hardik Pandya remained unbeaten on 61 from 31 balls to guide Mumbai to a fine 171 for four in 20 overs. Pollard was 33 not out.

Brilliant half century from Hardik Pandya from only 25 deliveries. It includes seven boundaries and two sixes. MI 157-4 in 18.4 overs.

A beauty of a delivery from Narine as Rohit Sharma is bowled. MI 79-4 in 11.4 overs.

Rohit Sharma b Narine 30 (21b 5x4 0x6)

Halfway through the innings Mumbai Indians are 67 for three in 10 overs.

Shakib has struck again with Rayudu slicing to long-off. MI 47-3, 6.3 overs.

Ambati Rayudu c Russell b Shakib Al Hasan 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Morkel has the last laugh after being whacked for a six by Simmons. MI 42-2, 5.4 overs.

Lendl Simmons c Pandey b Morkel 14 (16b 1x4 1x6)

Shakib strikes in his second over with Patel holing out to midwicket. MI 29-1, 4.2 overs.

Partiv Patel c Pandey b Shakib Al Hasan 21 (14b 3x4 0x6)

Simmons gets his first boundary driving Shakib through the covers. MI 16-0, 3 overs.

Patel hits the first boundary of the match jabbing Yadav to third man. MI 6-0, 1 over.

Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir has won the toss and elected to bowl.

Teams

MI: Simmons, Parthiv, Rohit, Pollard, Rayudu, Pandya, Bhajji, Suchith, McClenaghan, Vinay, Malinga

KKR: Uthappa, Gambhir, Manish, Yusuf, Russell, Surya, Shakib, Piyush, Umesh, Narine, M Morkel

The Kolkata Knight Riders will be aiming to get the better of the Mumbai Indians in Match 51 of IPL8 to seal their spot in the Playoffs.

A win on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium will also improve KKR’s chances of finishing the league stage among the top two teams.

KKR have won only two of their five matches on the road this season.

Mumbai Indians lie sixth in the standings with 12 points from six matches.

After a slow start to the competition, they bounced back spectacularly winning five on the trot.

Coach Ricky Ponting told the media on Wednesday that his team, after the slow start, had approached every match as a final.

“Tomorrow is probably the most important game for us. There is no point looking at the mathematics and how other teams are doing because we have no control over that. We have control over our performance tomorrow and we will make sure we play our best game,” the MI coach added.

The Mumbai Indians have a 10-5 win-loss record from 15 IPL matches against the KKR.

When these two teams met in Kolkata in the opening contest of IPL 2015, KKR won by seven wickets.

Squads

Mumbai Indians: RG Sharma, CJ Anderson, AC Blizzard, JJ Bumrah, UBT Chand, M de Lange, S Gopal, Harbhajan Singh, BW Hilfenhaus, SD Lad, MJ McClenaghan, SL Malinga, A Mithun, C Munro, PP Ojha, HH Pandya, PA Patel, KA Pollard, N Rana, AT Rayudu, LMP Simmons, J Suchith, P Suyal, AP Tare, R Vinay Kumar, AA Wakhare

Kolkata Knight Riders: G Gambhir, Azhar Mahmood, J Botha, KC Cariappa, PP Chawla, PJ Cummins, AN Garhwal, GB Hogg, SP Jackson, Kuldeep Yadav, M Morkel, SP Narine, S Narwal, MK Pandey, YK Pathan, V Pratap Singh, VP Rawal, AD Russell, Shakib Al Hasan, RN ten Doeschate, RV Uthappa, SA Yadav, UT Yadav

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