Kolkata Knight Riders’ Robin Uthappa starred as Mumbai Indians’ hopes of defending their Indian Premier League title received another blow.
With only four matches remaining, Mumbai languish second from bottom in the table, four points adrift of the top-four spot that would see them qualify for the play-offs and a chance to retain the crown they won 12 months ago.
Occupying that fourth spot are their opponents on Wednesday, who were grateful to a sublime 80 from opening batsman Uthappa as they eased to a victory target of 142 with six wickets and eight balls to spare.
After winning the toss in Cuttack, Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir opted to field and he was rewarded early on when Chidhambaram Gautam was caught at cover off the bowling of Morne Morkel (2-35) for eight in the third over.
Lendl Simmons (12) followed soon afterwards, bowled after aiming an ugly swipe at Shakib Al Hasan.
The Bangladeshi went on to record figures of 1-21 from his four overs as he and spin partner Sunil Narine kept the Mumbai total in check.
Narine was even more economical, taking 1-18 from his four, including the prize scalp of Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma.
Rohit, badly dropped at long on by Yusuf Pathan when on 11, played patiently for his 51 from 45 balls, before attempting an unorthodox paddle shot against the West Indian and seeing the ball crash into his stumps.
Uthappa and Gambhir got the reply off to a strong start, looking untroubled in reaching a stand of 50 before the skipper chopped a Harbhajan Singh delivery onto his stumps to depart for 14.
Harbhajan also accounted for Manish Pandey (14) in the same manner on his way to taking 2-22, but by then the hosts were looking in control at 96-2 with almost six overs remaining and Uthappa well-set on 64.
In the next over, the wicketkeeper-batsman took the game further away from Mumbai, driving Simmons for consecutive sixes over the off side, before the West Indian had the final say, cleaning up Uthappa as he looked for another expansive stroke.
It did little to disrupt Kolkata’s charge to victory, Pathan pulling Lasith Malinga (1-30) to the fence to finish 20 not out and seal a comfortable win for the Knight Riders, while Mumbai’s hopes of play-off qualification are looking increasingly in danger.
source: http://www.sportal.co.nz / Sportal / Home> Cricket / by Sportal / May 15th, 2014
