On Sunday, April 16, at the Wankhede Stadium, the five-time champion Mumbai Indians defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders thanks to the innings of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. Notably, batting first, Venkatesh Iyer stole the show by blasting 104 runs off 51 deliveries, resulting in the away team accumulating 185 runs. Other KKR middle-order batters, on the other hand, struggled to get going, and this is an area the team management must resolve prior to the next match.
In the second inning, the Mumbai Indians introduced Rohit Sharma as their impact player after the 35-year-old missed the first inning due to a stomach illness.
Sharma was forced to return to the dressing room after scoring 20 runs off 13 deliveries due to Umesh Yadav’s spectacular performance. Ishan Kishan continued to dominate the Knight Riders despite this, blasting 58 runs off 25 deliveries. Later, Suryakumar Yadav, who had been in poor form prior to the match, joined the celebration and smashed 43 runs off 25 deliveries to help MI win by five wickets.
Venkatesh Iyer’s disastrous blow
Iyer was at his utmost best on Sunday, wreaking havoc at Wankhede. The cricketer from Indore also became the second KKR player in tournament history to score a century. Notably, with his 104 runs off 51 deliveries, Iyer became the IPL 2023’s leading run scorer.
Ishan’s devastating knock altered MI‘s fortunes.
Ishan Kishan’s fiery innings of 58 runs off 25 deliveries helped Mumbai get off to a strong start in the match. He set the stage for the middle-order batsmen to capitalize and win their second game of the season.
SKY returns to its former self
The return to form of Suryakumar Yadav will improve the prospects of the Mumbai Indians in the upcoming games. The 32-year-old blasted 43 runs off 25 deliveries to wrest control of the game from KKR. However, the cricket player would be disappointed that he could not complete the game.
Winning captain Suryakumar Yadav said
We discussed in the dugout that we needed to maintain the momentum from the previous game, and the players delivered. I would have liked to complete the game, but I was very pleased with the team’s performance. We thought the wicket was a little dry in the afternoon, but the manner in which the players batted in the evening brought it back to life.
In day games at the Wankhede, 160–170 is a respectable score, but Kishan gave us off to a fantastic start. I took my time with the first five to seven balls and believed I could score if I could get my eye in. If the top order gives us a strong start, we know what kind of firepower we have in the lower ranks. It was a spell of legend [Piyush Chawla]. He raised his hand under duress.
The losing captain, Nitish Rana, estimated that his team was 15-20 runs short. Piyush Chawla deserves credit for the manner in which he bowled. Feel sorry for Venky; he achieved a century and played so well, but his team lost.
The entire team is aware that this was the second hundred for a KKR player. Other members of our team will reach the century mark as we advance. They targeted our finest bowlers, and their strategy paid off. We could have executed the powerplay better. I would like my bowling apparatus to perform better. Anyone can have one or two bad games, but it is consistently occurring to us. We will return to the locker room and discuss the matter there.
Venkatesh Iyer, the game’s Most Valuable Player, said
I would have been happier if we had concluded on a winning note, but I am nonetheless pleased with my effort. It is my responsibility to recompense the management for entrusting me with this responsibility. Clearly, it was an excellent pitch for batting. After scoring 30 to 40 runs, it becomes easier to score. I am ecstatic to receive one hundred. Their new ball bowlers are both swing bowlers, and it becomes challenging if you enable them to settle down. Therefore, I was unwilling to let them settle.
Once the swing disappears, it becomes simpler to play. Once you’re on the field performing a task for the team, you ignore the pain. I was having a great time out on the pitch, which was very pleasant. In hindsight, I believe we achieved 15-20 runs fewer, and with the way MI was bowling, they could have scored it in one more over, but yes, we fell short.
India
