Mumbai, May 4 (Agency) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) witnessed a stellar display of batting prowess from Venkatesh Iyer in their faceoff against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 51st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede Stadium. Iyer’s gritty innings of 70 runs off 52 deliveries proved to be the cornerstone of KKR’s batting lineup, laced with six boundaries and three sixes. Despite facing early setbacks, Iyer’s calculated aggression and steadfast resolve propelled Kolkata to a competitive total of 169 runs. However, Iyer’s innings was brought to an end in the 19th over by a well-directed delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, who curtailed the batsman’s impressive display.
The momentum shifted in KKR’s favor with a crucial partnership between Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey, which added 83 runs for the sixth wicket. Pandey contributed with a brisk 42 runs off 31 balls, including two boundaries and two sixes. Despite subsequent dismissals of Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, and Mitchell Starc, Iyer’s resilience anchored Kolkata’s innings. His remarkable knock not only propelled Kolkata to a competitive total but also showcased his ability to navigate challenging situations. For Mumbai, Nuwan Thushara and Bumrah emerged as the chief tormentors, scalping three wickets each, while Hardik Pandya made crucial contributions with two dismissals. Piyush Chawla also played a pivotal role by chipping in with a wicket. As the match progresses, Mumbai will be eying to chase down Kolkata’s target, aiming to secure victory in this crucial encounter.