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IPL 2018: Hardik Pandya all-round show keeps Mumbai alive
Mumbai`s resurgence continued on Sunday as they beat Kolkata by 13 runs at the Wankhede Stadium to keep their play-off hopes alive in IPL 2018.
Mumbai's resurgence continued on Sunday as they beat Kolkata by 13 runs at the Wankhede Stadium to keep their play-off hopes alive in IPL 2018.
Chasing 182 to win, KKR lost both openers early -- Chris Lynn (17) and Shubman Gill (7) -- but after that Robin Uthappa scored his first fifty this season to bring the visitors back into the contest. However, once Uthappa (54 off 35 balls) and Nitish Rana (31) were sent back in quick succession, KKR were back in familiar territory.
The Mumbai bowlers choked the runs thereafter and even though captain Dinesh Karthik scored 36 not out off 26 balls, it wasn't enough as KKR (168/6) suffered their fifth defeat in 10 games. Mumbai, on the other hand, registered their fourth win in 10 games. Hardik Pandya with figures of 2/19 was Mumbai's best bowler on the day.
Earlier in the day after being put into bat by Kolkata, Mumbai batted with great purpose with openers Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis taking the team off to a flier.
Both looked in great control in a 91-run stand in 9.2 overs. Andre Russell provided KKR with the much-needed breakthrough with the wicket of fellow West Indian Lewis, who departed after scoring 43 off 28 balls.
Rohit Sharma came up the batting order amid great expectations from home fans. However, he disappointed as Sunil Narine accounted for him in the 12th over. The Mumbai captain made just 11. Not long after, Russell struck again and this time sent back the dangerous-looking Suryakumar Yadav for 59 (off 39 balls).
It was Suryakumar's fourth fifty this season, third player to do so in IPL 2018 after Hyderabad's Kane Williamson and Delhi's Shreyas Iyer. He fell just one run short of becoming the second player after Chennai's Ambati Rayudu to reach the 400-run mark this season.
These quick wickets changed the complexion of the Mumbai innings and if it was not for Hardik's 20-ball 35* towards the end they wouldn't have reached 181/4. That effort by Hardik proved decisive for Mumbai in the end.