Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs with an 18-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Eden Gardens on Saturday night. The home side recovered to post 157/7 in 16 overs after being put in to bat by Hardik Pandya in a rain-hit game. MI could manage only 139/8 in their response.
KKR, who lost openers Phil Salt (6) and Sunil Narine (0) in the first seven balls, recovered through Venkatesh Iyer. The left-hander hit 42 off 21 balls, with the help of six fours and two sixes. Nitish Rana (33 off 23 balls), Andre Russel (24 off 14 balls), Rinku Singh (20 off 12 balls) and Ramandeep Singh (17 not out off eight balls) took KKR to a fighting total. Jasprit Bumrah (2/39) and Piyush Chawla (2/28) excelled for MI.
Though Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma added 65 for the opening stand in 6.5 overs, MI soon slumped to 92/5. Kishan made 40 off 22 deliveries, while Rohit struggled in his 24-ball 19. Russell got the key wicket of Suryakumar Yadav for 11. Despite Tilak Varma's 32 off 17 balls, KKR scored a comfortable victory in the end. Russel, Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana claimed two apiece for the winners.
KKR are leading the table with 18 points from 12 matches. MI stay in ninth spot with just eight points from 13 games.
KKR next play Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad on Monday, while MI meet Lucknow Super Giants in their final game on Friday.
