IPL 2020 Points Table: Latest Standings after MI outplay KKR at Abu Dhabi
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) crashed to an 8-wicket defeat against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 32 of IPL 2020 played at Abu Dhabi.
After electing to bat first, the Knight Riders got off to a poor start, losing two wickets in the powerplay itself. Rahul Tripathi was dismissed for a 9-ball 7 off the bowling of Trent Boult, as Suryakumar Yadav took a stunner in the field.
Nathan Coulter-Nile, playing his first match this season, got the better of Nitish Rana, and the latter had to walk back for just 5 runs. Shubman Gill seemed to be in fine touch and was just getting a partnership going with Dinesh Karthik when Rahul Chahar struck twice in two deliveries and sent both batsmen packing.
Andre Russell came in next but failed yet again as a fiery bumper by Jasprit Bumrah got the better of him. Mumbai Indians seemed to be well and truly on top at this stage as KKR were reduced to 61-5 in the eleventh over.
Pat Cummins and Eoin Morgan put up an unbeaten 87-run partnership that helped KKR claw their way back into the contest, and post a competitive total of 148/5 from their allotted 20 overs. Rahul Chahar returned with envious figures of 2-18 from his four overs while Boult, Coulter-Nile and Bumrah all chipped in with a wicket each.
Chasing 149 on a slow wicket was going to be tricky, but the Mumbai Indians got off to a flier as Rohit Sharma, and Quinton de Kock put up an opening partnership of 94 runs in quick time. While de Kock went after the bowlers, Sharma knocked the ball around and played second-fiddle. The MI skipper was dismissed for a 36-ball 35 courtesy an absolute peach from Shivam Mavi.
Suryakumar Yadav managed a run-a-ball 10 before chopping one back onto the stumps while attempting a sweep off Varun Chakravarthy. However, de Kock was unfazed by the fall of wickets at the other end and continued playing an aggressive brand of cricket. The South African notched up an unbeaten 44-ball 78 which saw the Mumbai outfit across the line.
Hardik Pandya was promoted up the order on the fall of Yadav's wicket, and he played a cameo of 21(11) which helped MI seal a victory with nineteen balls to spare.
The bowlers did not have too many runs to defend, and were unable to pick up any early wickets either. Only Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Mavi returned with a wicket each while the others were taken to the cleaners.
IPL 2020 Updated Points Table
With this dominating win over KKR, the Mumbai Indians secure their fifth consecutive win and reclaim top spot in the points table, displacing the Delhi Capitals in the process. The Kolkata Knight Riders retain the fourth position with four wins from eight matches, but their Net Run Rate takes a hit with that defeat.
Two cracking contests await us on Saturday. The afternoon contest will witness the Rajasthan Royals locking horns with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, both of whom will be hungry for a win after defeats in their respective previous encounters.
This will be followed by the Delhi Capitals taking on the Chennai Super Kings at Sharjah later in the day. Will RCB be able to make amends for their previous loss or will RR bring on their A-game and get the better of the Bangalore outfit? With the pitch at Sharjah slowing down considerably, will DC's pace attack pose a threat anymore or will CSK's spinners take the MS Dhoni-led team across the line? It all builds up to an exciting double-header on Saturday.