BackDuminy and Zaheer steer Mumbai; Kolkata lose by 9 runs
Duminy and Zaheer steer Mumbai; Kolkata lose by 9 runs
Premium
East London: J.P. Duminy hit 52 not out and fast bowler Zaheer Khan took 3-31 on Friday to steer the Mumbai Indians to a nine-run win over the last-place Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
Duminy smashed four sixes in 37 balls and helped lift Mumbai from 74-4 in the 12th over to 148-6 at Buffalo Park.
Also Read IPL Team Analysis
“I thought J.P, set it up for us nicely. If he didn’t bat through to the end it would have been different," said Mumbai captain Sachin Tendulkar, who hit 34 off 30 balls.
Mumbai then restricted Kolkata to 139-6, with Khan bowling openers Sourav Ganguly and Chris Gayle in the first three overs.
The left-arm India seamer dismissed Ganguly for 0 on the fourth ball of the innings after the opener hit the ball onto his stumps. Gayle then bottom-edged a slower delivery from Khan 10 balls later, and Kolkata was 8-2.
Kolkata recovered after a third-wicket partnership of 89 between Brad Hodge (73) and Morne van Wyk (32). Hodge blasted five fours and three sixes in 60 balls, while Van Wyk hit three boundaries in 35 balls.
Van Wyk was caught by Duminy in the deep off medium-pacer Graham Napier to leave Kolkata on 97-3 in the 15th over. Laxmi Shukla was bowled by Khan after missing a full toss 22 runs and three overs later.
Hodge was dismissed in the 19th over, run out by Duminy’s throw to wicketkeeper Pinal Shah.
Needing 19 runs in the final over, Brendon McCullum was caught in the deep by Lasith Malinga off Abhishek Nayar for 5 to end the chase.
“When someone like Malinga bowls well at the death, as he did, it becomes difficult to score boundaries," McCullum said.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
