Kolkata Knight Riders finally snapped a losing streak as they defeated five-time champions Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in a dominant display in IPL 2021.
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It was not supposed to happen in this way in Abu Dhabi. The rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders is one of the most lopsided in the history of the IPL. The head-to-head record stands out as a beacon of ultimate humiliation for Kolkata Knight Riders fans. Consider this record. Prior to the game in Abu Dhabi, Mumbai Indians had a 22-6 head-to-head record against Kolkata Knight Riders. The five-time champions had won 10 out of the last 11 encounters stretching back to 2016. KKR’s only win came in 2019 at the Eden Gardens in that whole period of five years.
Even in IPL 2021, Kolkata Knight Riders botched up a chase of just over 150 to lose by 10 runs. The memes were going viral. Such was the situation for the Kolkata Knight Riders fans that one message summed up their plight. The message was, “Before the start of the IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders are the only team to begin their campaign with minus two wins.” This was an indirect jibe at KKR’s record against Mumbai Indians. It remains brutal domination by one franchise on the other.
One more point to ponder. If Kolkata Knight Riders have to come on level terms with Mumbai Indians in their head-to-head record, they will have to win all their matches against them for seven IPLs on the trot. It remains a feat that might never be achieved.
Abu Dhabi had been a decent venue for Kolkata Knight Riders. In IPL 2014, they had managed to beat the Mumbai Indians at the same venue. Consider this, Kolkata Knight Riders’ two IPL titles have come when they have managed to beat the Mumbai Indians at least once. With the exception of 2010 and 2019, Kolkata Knight Riders have only come close to the title when they beat the Mumbai Indians.
In Abu Dhabi, it did not look like the seeds of a win were sown. Quinton de Kock started brilliantly and smashed a fifty. Sunil Narine tried his best and took 1/20 in four overs which included Rohit’s wickets. Still, there was no indication of a struggle. Although Mumbai Indians lost Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and De Kock in quick succession, they still had Kieron Pollard.
In the 18th over, Pollard blasted 18 runs off Prasidh Krishna while Krunal Pandya was also effective. A total of 34 runs came in the last three overs and Mumbai Indians now had some momentum. But, they were thwarted by two things in the Kolkata Knight Riders innings.
In the past, Kolkata Knight Riders have been bogged down with the batting order sometimes not stable. The top and middle-order were shuffled around so much that there was no consistency. But, in IPL 2021, the opening duo has two youngsters who are making a mark. Shubman Gill’s prowess is well-documented. But, the emergence of Venkatesh Iyer has been a revelation. In the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Iyer was one of the standouts.
Even here, he was the one who took the initiative. Rohit Sharma opened the bowling with Trent Boult and Adam Milne. It did not work. Gill and Iyer hit a six apiece in the first over bowled by Boult. During the second over, Iyer hit one six and two fours to give Kolkata Knight Riders the initiative. When Jasprit Bumrah came into the attack, he removed Gill for 13.
Remarkably, Rohit Sharma took Bumrah off the attack after that one over. What Rohit had not realized was that KKR had already scored 63 runs in the powerplay, meaning they had fewer runs to bargain with. Had he bowled Bumrah for an additional over or two, they would have built the pressure on Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the first game against Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai, Rahul Chahar had made a massive difference with his bowling. His four wickets had turned the game totally as they won by 10 runs. Perhaps, on this wicket, Rohit felt that it was not ideal for Chahar to be introduced so early into the attack. The reason for the judgment was the increasing dew.
But, when Bumrah got rid of Gill, Iyer and Rahul Tripathi had already gotten their eye in. Iyer and Tripathi took the attack to the Mumbai Indians bowling, with Iyer notching up a fifty off just 25 balls. When Bumrah came back for his second spell, both batsmen had gotten their eye in. This was the same mistake that Mumbai Indians made when they allowed Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja to get their eye in after the early breakthroughs against Chennai Super Kings.
When Tripathi blasted a six and a four off Bumrah to reach his fifty off 29 balls, the game was already up. The misjudgment of not bowling Bumrah and Chahar earlier cost Mumbai Indians big time. By the time Bumrah took two more wickets, the game was up.
The dew factor probably influenced Rohit Sharma to not introduce Chahar earlier. The fact that in the last two games, Bumrah has bowled just one over in the powerplay and mostly in the death overs, it has not worked. Mumbai Indians were expecting that the slogging of Iyer would result in his dismissal soon. But, he reached fifty.
In previous matches against Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders had an ability to self-destruct. But, in this case, they did not collapse until it was too late. It was the aggression by Iyer and Tripathi that threw Mumbai Indians’ plans into disarray.
Unlike 2020, the Mumbai Indians’ middle order is not clicking. In the previous IPL, the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, the Pandya brothers in addition to Pollard were taking the game away from the opponents. In the first two games, that has simply not happened.
Kolkata Knight Riders will not be complaining. They are fourth on the table. But, Mumbai Indians are struggling for momentum. But, as we have seen in the past, the five-time champions have reserved their best for the last. At this point in time, it is better that they sort out their plans quickly.
