Kolkata Knight Riders increase chances of IPL playoffs with win over Mumbai Indians

The batters have become used to the easy life this IPL, with featherbeds on offer at most venues. Friday's IPL game between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium, however, was different. The curator dished out a slower surface which fully tested both teams.

The KKR batting unit has been in terrific form this season but they struggled to get going after being put into bat and were skittled out for 169. In reply, MI didn't fare any better. After collapsing to 71/6 in 11.2 overs, they were bowled out for 145 to lose by 24 runs. The only resistance came from Suryakumar Yadav who hit 56. This was KKR's first win against MI at the Wankhede since 2012.

The defeat all but ended MI's hopes of making the play-offs. On six points, the maximum they can now go up to is 12 points.

IYER-PANDEY RESCUE ACT

Used to rollicking starts from their opening pair so far, KKR's middle order needed to stand tall in this game thanks and they managed to do that thanks largely to the sixth wicket pair of Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey.

The move to bring in Pandey as an Impact Sub proved to be key. The veteran batter in the company of Venktesh stemmed the rut. They rebuilt the innings with a partnership of 83 runs off 62 balls.

Pandey was eventually out after scoring 42 runs (31 balls) in the 17th over but Iyer continued right till the end.

It was an ideal platform for Andre Russell to come in and do his power-hitting on the small ground. The West Indian started with a first-ball six but a terrible mix-up between Russel and Iyer resulted in Russell's run out and put paid to KKR's hopes of a late surge.

CHALLENGING PITCH

Most of the matches at Kolkata's Eden Gardens as well as the Mumbai ground, have been high-scoring. The Wankhede track, however, demanded a different approach. It needed one to get their eye in and be selective with their shots.

But both sets of batters failed to adapt. For the KKR players, it seemed to be a case of misreading the surface as they seemed to get caught going early for the strokes.

Given the new ball, MI's Nuwan Thusara got his outswing going and exploited the KKR top order's reckless play.

Bowling with a slinging action like his bowling coach, Lastih Malinga, the Sri Lankan bowled an incisive opening burst to provide MI a dream start after winning the toss.

With his fourth ball of the innings, the pacer dismissed the dangerous opening batter Phil Salt for five runs and followed it up with a double strike in his second over to reduce KKR to 28/3 after three overs. KKR's local player, Angkrish Raghuvanshi was foxed by Thusara after hitting two sixes before he got rid of captain Shreyas Iyer on the last ball of the third over for six runs.

Salt, who has formed a devastating opening combination with Sunil Narine, chanced his arm on seeing a short of length delivery, but was done in by the late movement and ended up with a leading edge that was caught by Tilak Varma running back from point.

The Sri Lankan international got two more wickets in his second over. He had Raghuvanshi caught at cover after deceiving him with a widish delivery that held up a little. With another late away-swinging delivery, he sent Shreyas back too.

Continuing his brilliant form, Jasprit Bumrah was again at his best. The MI talisman bowled superbly in the slog overs to never allow KKR to break free. Bowling the 18th and 20th overs, he picked up three wickets for four runs to scuttle KKR's hopes of a late push, restricting them to a total of 169.

The talking point at the start of the game was Rohit Sharma's name instead of the playing XI, being listed in the sub's list. He came in as an Impact Sub but couldn't make a difference as the game stayed the course of Mumbai's dreadful season.