05/20/26 03:00:00
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05/20 14:59 CDT Kolkata stays in playoff contention with 4-wicket win over
Mumbai in Indian Premier League
Kolkata stays in playoff contention with 4-wicket win over Mumbai in Indian
Premier League
KOLKATA, India (AP) --- Kolkata Knight Riders kept their playoff hopes alive
with a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on
Wednesday.
Manish Pandey (45) and Rovman Powell (40) did bulk of the scoring as Kolkata
reached 148-6 for their sixth win in the last seven games to move to sixth
place.
Mumbai's disappointing season continued when it slumped to 41-4 inside the
power play before Corbin Bosch's quickfire 32 not out off 18 balls lifted them
to 147-8.
"After that first win, we started believing," captain Ajinkya Rahane said of
Kolkata's turnaround that started with a victory over Rajasthan Royals.
"We kept a nice and positive atmosphere and preparation has been fantastic.
When Green started bowling (in the IPL) we wanted Powell to get in and what an
impact he has made."
Kolkata's million-dollar signing Cameron Green (2-23) and Saurabh Dubey (2-34)
had Mumbai reeling within the first six overs, and the innings couldn't gain
momentum even after rain interrupted the play for almost an hour.
Captain Hardik Pandya made 26 in his return game from injury before he was
clean bowled by Sunil Narine, who returned with impressive figures of 1-13 off
his four overs.
Kolkata also lost two early wickets of Rahane (21) and Finn Allen (8) while
Green holed out at deep fine leg after scoring only 4 off 8 balls before Pandey
and Powell put the chase back on track with a 64-run stand.
Jasprit Bumrah, who had a lean season with the ball, clean bowled Pandey with a
perfect off-cutter and Powell was smartly snapped by Bosch at backward point
before Kolkata reached the target with seven balls to spare when Rinku Singh
smashed Will Jacks over his head for a winning boundary.
Earlier, Green struck twice in one over when Pandey at point held onto a
well-judged catch of Ryan Rickelton, who top-edged the seamer and then two
balls later the Australian found the outside edge of Naman Dhir's bat.
Dubey kept Mumbai under pressure on a wicket where the ball was gripping as he
got the big wickets of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, who played onto the
fast bowler. Tilak Varma (20) and Pandya struggled to raise a 43-run stand
before Bosch smashed two sixes and three fours in the last two overs to give
Mumbai some hope.
"I don't mind playing on such wickets where bowlers have something to do,"
Pandya said. "IPL is becoming batting dominated where bowlers are helpless ...
so I kind of enjoyed this pitch."
Mumbai had been untidy in fielding throughout the season and on Wednesday
Deepak Chahar missed Powell's catch in the outfield before the West Indian
batter hit four boundaries and two sixes in his 30-ball knock.
"I don't know, we have been quite poor (in the fielding) throughout the
season," Pandya said. "No one wants to do it, but there's no hiding away, we
haven't taken those chances."
Mumbai remained ninth and will round off their season with the last league game
against Rajasthan.
Rajasthan could seal the final playoff spot if they beat Mumbai. Defending
champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad
have already qualified for the playoffs.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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