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Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik
Former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag questioned Karthik and Russell's batting approach after KKR's disappointing defeat against MI. Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik failed to take Kolkata Knight Riders over the line when they acquired 31 runs off 28 balls. Chasing 153 runs for victory, Kolkata were 122-4 after 15 overs. However, the side could only manage to score 20 runs in their final five overs. Sehwag also reckoned that KKR missed out on a golden opportunity to win a game where they didn't have much to chase.
Eoin Morgan and the team lost the match by ten runs. Sehwag was not at all happy with Karthik and Russell's batting as he felt the duo should have looked to finish the game early. Despite controlling the match for 35 overs, KKR quelled in the final stages and lost to Mumbai Indians by ten runs. Kolkata was still in control when they lost two set batsman Nitish Rana and Shakib Al Hasan, in quick succession. After their departure, two of their most reliable finishers Russell and Karthik, joined hands to win the game for the team.
Mumbai Indians get first win of the tournament
Mumbai Indians bounced back stronger to register their first win of the tournament. Kiwi pacer Trent Boult finished brilliantly at the end. The 31-year-old defended 15 runs in the last over against the likes of Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik. After an awful start, the Rohit Sharma-led side got on the points table with a win. On the other end, Eoin Morgan will fortify on a mixed start to the tournament when they face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 18. Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav was the standout performer for the Mumbai Indians. He scored 56, and Rohit Sharma made 43 as Mumbai finished on 152 all out. Nitish Rana's 57 kept Kolkata in the competition, but his departure brought about a collapse that KKR failed to detain.
KKR skipper Eoin Morgan was distressed with KKR's collapse and acknowledged that his team made a few mistakes. Kolkata Knight Riders have now lost 22 of their 28 IPL encounters against the defending champions Mumbai Indians. The Kolkata-based side will next be playing against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 18. KKR, who started their IPL 2021 season with a win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, will be keen to return to form against the RCB.