Mumbai: Chasing 175 to win, Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant 68 not out and Kieron Pollard made an unbeaten 17-ball 51 as Mumbai reached their target in 18 overs against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Leading from the front, skipper Gautam Gambhir smashed 59 off 45 balls to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a challenging total against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Put into bat, in-form openers Gambhir and Robin Uthappa (36) got KKR off to a flying start scoring 59 without losing any wickets after the completion of the powerplay.
The Knight Riders made the most of poor fielding however, the fall of Uthappa enabled Mumbai Indians to
reign in Kolkata, who also lost wickets at regular intervals after Rohit won the toss and elected to field.
In the Mumbai innings, Rohit and Ambati Rayudu (32) had a quick-fire stand but Kolkata made a comeback with quick wickets.
But Rohit and Pollard then took control with the West Indian winning it with a cracking six smacked to deep midwicket.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have signed up West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor to replace injured Sri Lankan paceman Lasith Malinga, who also missed the World Twenty20 with a recurring knee injury.
England fast bowler Chris Jordan has joined Royal Challengers Bangalore as a replacement for injured Australia paceman Mitchell Starc, the Indian
cricket board said.
Starc has been ruled out of the Twenty20 league with a foot problem, opening the door for Jordan, who impressed with his death bowling in the
recent World Twenty20 in India, where an Eoin Morgan-led England lost to West Indies in the final.
The 27-year-old Sussex bowler joins Morgan and national team mates Jos Buttler and Sam Billings in the eight-team event, in a sign of the England board’s softening stance towards a league which attracts the biggest names in international cricket.
Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 178 for 4 (Rohit 68*, Pollard 51*) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 174 for 5 (Gambhir 59) by six wickets
