Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were handed a 8-wickets trouncing by defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 32 of the Indian Premier League played out at Abu Dhabi on Friday. Morgan's first assignment was KKR skipper after Dinesh Karthik stepped down from the top job, ended in a loss.

Amidst the defeat, there was something to cheer about for the KKR fans as Pat Cummins and Eoin Morgan stitched a gritty partnership to prevent the contest from getting completely one sided.

Coming out to bat at No.7 with half the team back to the pavilion, Pat Cummins registered a quick-fire half ton by forging a 87-run partnership with skipper Eoin Morgan.

Cummins 53-run knock off just 36 deliveries laced with two sixes and five fours, helped the Knight Riders post somewhat a decent 148-run total on the board.

Cummins was the dominant partner in the 50-run partnership with skipper Morgan, playing the aggressor's role by striking some lofty boundaries towards the middle and latter half of the KKR innings to get them near to a level playing contest at the half way stage.

IPL 2020, MI vs KKR: Quinton De Kock Heroics Power Mumbai Indians To A Commanding 8-Wicket Win Over Kolkata Knight Riders At Abu Dhabi


Cummins' maiden IPL half ton helped him equal CSK skipper MS Dhoni's 7-year old record as the hard hitting wicket-keeper batsman had also scored a 50 against Mumbai Indians at No.7 position in the finals of the 2013 edition of IPL.

Australian frontline seamer Pat Cummins, who was bought for a whopping Rs 15.5 crores in the IPL Auction, has been quite good with his batting exploits in the season, racking up 126 runs in 7 innings for his team.