Indian Premier League 2022, Match 52: Mumbai Indians went up against Kolkata Knight Riders at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer, the KKR openers, have made their way to the middle. The proceedings will be kicked off by Daniel Sams. Sams is off to a good start after one over. Venkatesh Iyer’s timing was impeccable, yet he went right to the fielders. He was unable to locate the gaps. There was no movement in the air, according to Sams. He startled Iyer with a short one off the sixth pitch, and when he mistimed his draw to short fine leg, the fielder made a diving stop and limited them to only a single. The final pitch was short and wide, but Rahane sliced it to the widish third baseman for a single. The over yielded four runs. KKR had a nice over after two overs. Ashwin was reprimanded for making mistakes with lines and lengths. For a single, Rahane pushed one to the off side. The next one was pulled WIDE down the leg by Ashwin. He dragged one short, which Iyer smashed for a SIX. After three dots, Ashwin overpitched one and Iyer slammed the ball past the covers for FOUR. The fifth over, a costly over from Meredith, was a memorable one. His lines and lengths were incorrect. Iyer pursued him and is fortunate to still be alive. In that over, Iyer hit a SIX and a FOUR. Meredith struck with a bouncer for FIVE WIDES. Then, on the last ball, Iyer avoided a run out attempt. The over yielded 17 runs. After 10 overs, it looked like Kartikeya was going to have a great over, but Rana ruined it with consecutive sixes off the last two of balls.

MI had a few of strong overs in the 14th and 15th overs. During this time, they have captured three wickets. Ashwin takes the wicket of Shreyas Iyer with a beautiful delivery that catches him behind. After a couple, Russell gets in on the act and clubs a SIX. Then Rana makes a FOUR. The Ashwin over yielded 13 runs and a wicket. Following the wicket, Ashwin struggled to get his lines correct and looked legsidish. Bumrah is subsequently reintroduced into the assault and begins with a sitting yorker, which Russell manages to dig. As Russell miscues his heave to long on, Bumrah alters his length to back of a length and has his man. Bumrah next bowls a snorter that Rana tries to deflect, but it’s too quick for him, and he gloves it to the keeper. Bumrah picks up two wickets for just four runs. KKR were 164/9 in the penultimate over, and only a single in the 20th brought the total to 165/9.

It’s time for MI’s chase. Mumbai Indians must score 166 runs to defeat KKR and end their playoff aspirations. Ishan Kishan and skipper Rohit Sharma make their way to the middle. For KKR, Tim Southee gets the ball first. As the hunt for MI begins, Tim Southee takes the field for KKR. One slip of the tongue. Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians get off to a good start as the captain flicks a couple of runs through backward square leg. Rohit is awarded not out after an appeal for caught in the penultimate ball of the over. The review is taken by KKR, and the judgement is reversed to OUT! KKR had a terrific Powerplay in the sixth and seventh overs, taking the wickets of Rohit and Tilak and conceding only 37 runs. Sunil Narine is brought into the attack and only allows five singles. Varun Chakaravarthy is the other bowling replacement, and he gets off to a good start, giving only three singles in his first four deliveries. The 12th and 13th overs were a really solid couple of overs for KKR after a few more clean overs from MI. Narine takes a step back after Russell’s costly defection. In the 12 over, he just lets up two singles. So far, he’s been outstanding throughout this tournament.

Chakaravarthy is then reintroduced into the fight. On the opening ball, he nearly has David caught and bowled. As David holes out in the deep, he takes his guy off the following ball. The second ball Pollard encounters is hit for a six. MI was at 112/8 by the 17th over, and Southee was called back into the assault. He bowls stump to stump, allowing only five runs to be scored. Cummins bowls another great over, allowing only 5 runs in the process. Another run out happened as we were talking about it on OUT. Pollard is the one who returns this time. Pollard takes a swing but ends up top edging it high in the air as Russell darts it in short. Then there’s another run out just after that! Meredith cuts it to mid-wicket for a dangerous single. Rinky Singh rushes, takes up the ball, and throws a rocket throw for a direct hit. Bumrah is found in little supply. KKR is victorious by 52 runs! Jasprit Bumrah is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH, and you have to feel sorry for him since, although taking a fifer, he was on the losing side, and it is a rare case that the losing team’s player receives the honour.