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

IPL 2020, MI vs KKR match today in UAE: Today was the first time in IPL 2020 that Mumbai openers stitched a fifty-run opening partnership and their team survived the powerplay without losing a single wicket.

Mumbai Indians were off to a great start in 149-run chase as Rohit Sharma (35) and Quinton de Kock (44-ball 78), who were in sublime form with the bat, dominated the KKR bowlers to power their team to a comprehensive 8-wicket win on Friday at Abu Dhabi. Today was the first time in IPL 2020 that Mumbai openers stitched a fifty-run opening partnership and their team survived the powerplay without losing a single wicket. Also, after this win, Mumbai Indians are now table-toppers in IPL 2020 points table.

Chasing 149 for the win, two openers Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma came out in the middle and for Kolkata Chris Green started with the new ball. Rohit Sharma yet again showed that he loves batting against KKR by starting his innings with boundaries on successive deliveries against Prasidh Krishna. Quinton de Kock also joined the party as he slaps the wide delivery for 3rd boundary of the over.

Mumbai Indians were off to a flying start and raced to 48 for loss of no wicket. Things went from bad to worse for KKR as a top-edged ball from Quinton de Kock was dropped by Varun Chakravarthy. The MI duo soon attained a fifty-run stand to power their team to 51/0 at the end of the powerplay.

De Kock continued to dominate the bowlers by playing some great strokes to soon notch up his 13th IPL fifty. At the halfway through, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock were in cruise control, taking MI to 90/0.

KKR finally got their first wicket in the 11th over after Shivam Mavi struck in his first over to get much-needed breakthrough by cleaning up Rohit Sharma for 35.  Suryakumar Yadav joined De Kock in the middle with MI needing 55 runs off 55 balls.

Yadav and De Kock kept the scoreboard ticking as Mumbai were on course for a win but just then Yadav (10)  gave away his wicket in an attempt to sweep Chakravarthy for a biggie. In the end overs, back-to-back boundaries from Hardik Pandya helped Mumbai get a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Kolkata.

Earlier, Eoin Morgan won his first toss of IPL 2020 and decided to bat first in the crucial clash against defending champions Mumbai Indians. Mumbai Indians bowlers were clinical with the ball and in the field to restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 148/5 at Abu Dhabi on Friday.

After losing some quick wickets, KKR captain Eoin Morgan (39*) and Pat Cummins (53*) staged a fightback with a fifty partnership to make sure their team attained a respectable total at the end of their allotted 20 overs.

MI pacers Trent Boult (1/32), Jasprit Bumrah (1/22) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (1/51) all took a wicket each while spinner Rahul Chahar (2/18) took two wickets off consecutive balls in the eighth over.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jasprit Bumrah Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Rahul Tripathi, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Andre Russell, Chris Green, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna