Rohit Sharma’s sensational knock coupled with an outstanding performance from Mumbai’s pace trio guided the reigning champions to a massive 49-run victory over the Kolkata.
Here are the key talking points from the contest:
Kolkata’s bogey team
When Mumbai play the Kolkata, there’s usually just one result – victory for the men in blue.
20 - 06 😎
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 23, 2020
Of the 26 times that the two teams have locked horns in the IPL, Mumbai have come out on top on 20 occasions with Kolkata winning just six. Their win percentage of 24 against Mumbai is their lowest against any team in the Indian T20 League.
Since Kolkata’s three-match win-streak over Mumbai, the four-time champions have won 10 out of the next 11 matches, and with this victory, they became the first team to record 20 wins over a team in the IPL.
Mumbai’s pacers maul Kolkata
After a rather rocky performance against the Chennai where he conceded 43 in four overs, Mumbai’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah came to the fore and dismantled the Kolkata, giving away just five runs in three overs and picked up the prized wicket of Andre Russell and Eoin Morgan, effectively ending the contest.
💥 Back with a Boom 💥
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 23, 2020
Live updates: https://t.co/GdxbVn8xav
Ball by ball: https://t.co/MEx2BDfoMO#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #Dream11IPL #KKRvMI @Jaspritbumrah93 pic.twitter.com/1G1lou2iM5
He did concede 27 in his final over that spoilt his figures, however, Mumbai’s overseas pace duo of Trent Boult and James Pattinson ensured that the big over from Bumrah was nothing but a consolation for Kolkata. The Kiwi-Kangaroo pair gave away just 55 runs in their eight overs while picking up a couple of wickets each in what was a brilliant outing for Mumbai’s pace trio.
The Russell conundrum
Andre Russell is, by a country mile, the best batsman in the Kolkata roster, which makes it baffling that the all-rounder bats at number six for the two-time champions.
In 14 matches last season, Russell batted just 249 balls, an average of just under 18 balls per match. While he’s a proven match-winner, the unfathomable pressure on having to bail Kolkata out seemingly every match is an unfair expectation to have from the all-rounder. Coach Brendon McCullum and the team's think-tank have to ensure that they do not fail to maximise Russell’s potential as a batsman.
Sharma’s sensational knock
After scoring just one fifty in his last six knocks, Rohit Sharma was due a big score and he delivered against his favourite opponents in the IPL, scoring a brilliant 80 off 54 balls to guide Mumbai to a massive and match-winning total of 196.
Hit-Man of the Match for his sublime 80 today 💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #Dream11IPL #KKRvMI @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/TGhAweFaRv
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 23, 2020
Sharma smashed six sixes on route to his 80 and looked on course to score his first Indian T20 League ton since 2012, but the Indian opener couldn’t dispatch a full-toss and ended up hitting it straight to long on, ending his magnificent knock.
Rohit has now scored 904 runs against Kolkata, the most by any batsman against a single team in the Indian Premier League, surpassing David Warner’s mark of 829, also, against Kolkata.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com/Mumbai
