Malinga shines but KKR decimates MI

Before the start of IPL-7, one would probably have easily predicted the result of the opening match between KKR and MI. Mumbai,with a well-balanced side was expected to decimate the bowling-heavy KKR side with ease but it was an ironically surprising result as a new look KKR-side decimated Mumbai Indians by 41 runs. Cricket Tracker brings a clearer look at the match:

Toss: When Gautam Gambhir won the toss and chose to have a first look at the greenish-looking dull pitch, commentators and analysts were rest assured of a Mumbai win. Rohit Sharma,further looked happy to be bowling first,considering his team’s likingness to chasing down totals. The match was all set to be won by the Mumbai Indians.

1st Innings: KKR looked extremely cautious upfront as their captain Gambhir and Proteas legend Kallis took guard. As Gambhir was dismissed for nought after facing 8 balls off a beautiful Malinga yorker, Manish Pandey came to the fore. The first Indian to hit an IPL century seemed uneasy for the first few balls. The KKR innings was in a jiffy after a poor start. Kallis and Pandey, started a build up. Runs were coming steadily and as soon as Manish Pandey completed his half-century with a boundary, an onslaught started. Kallis,who was playing second fiddle,till then sky-rocketed the balls as KKR looked set for 180 with 9 wickets in hand and 4 overs left. As they tried to up the ante more, 4 wickets fell in quick succession before IPL debutant Suryakumar Yadav’s innovative strokeplay in the final over resulted in 13 runs taking KKR to a very competitive 163 and set up a great target for the bowlers to defend.

Turning Point: Kallis was batting with a S/R of just above 100 when Malinga dropped him off Pollard,which proved dear at the end as Kallis,then powered his way to a great 72 putting Malinga in a state of guilt.

2nd innings: KKR opened the bowling with the lanky looking South African Morne Morkel. His initial overs were crucial in keeping Michael Hussey and Aditya Tare in check. Gambhir soon played the masterstroke as he brought in the talisman from the Carribean,Sunil Narine and as,has been his regulation, he got rid of a struggling Hussey. Mumbai never really got going after that as Tare soon got out trying to hit Shakib for a maximum. Rohit and Rayudu,did provide some amount of hope with a good-looking partnership but soon after, Morne Morkel was brought in and Rohit Sharma who hit a huge six off a pull on the first ball. A slower ball from Morne at the MI captain’s pads resulted in another desperate hit which was caught by Kallis near the long leg boundary. Mumbai,then lost the plot completely as Narine’s death over mystery looked more mysterious than the Da Vinci code for the MI batsman as they huffle,puffled and strolled their way to a disgraceful 122/7 in their 20 overs.

Turning Point: Rohit Sharma, was looking in top form and even hit a beautiful looking pull off Morne Morkel’s first ball in the 14th over. His attempt to hit another boundary off the very next ball, proved immaturish as his dismissal paved the way to KKR’s win.

Cricket Tracker Says: A 41-run win in a t20 match is a huge achievement by any standards and given that,it came against the MI paltan would hold Gambhir’s men in good stead for their upcoming matches. The defending champions though seemed to miss the sheen,they had in IPL-6 with Johnson and Dwayne Smith missing from the otherwise,famed MI line-up. They missed chances when they should have and helped their opponents reach a good total. The chase too looked good till they started playing rash shots before losing their way. KKR didnt really look dominating but their effort and the result will certainly give a boost to Gauti and co.

Star of the match: Although Sunil Narine bamboozled the batsman,as he always does, the star of the match was veteral Jacques Kallis whose knock virtually tilted the needle in KKR’s favour. Kallis, hence is CT’s star of the match.