Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders’ have qualified as the third team to the play-offs after they suffered a 9-run defeat against the table-toppers Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League encounter on Saturday.
Chasing a challenging target of 174 to win, the two times IPL champions were restricted to 164 for 8 by the visitors, who produced a top-class bowling performance at the jam-packed Eden Gardens today.
This was KKR’s fourth loss in last five matches. They are now placed at the third place in the points table with 16 points. Their opponent will be decided after tomorrow’s match between Kings XI Punjab (14) and Rising Pune Supergiant. If Pune can somehow clinch a win tomorrow KKR will face defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (17). On the other hand if KXIP can beat Pune they will qualify for the play-offs as they have a much better run rate than Rising Pune Supergiant and Punjab will then face Kolkata in the eliminator at Bengaluru.
Mumbai, who are already through to the play-offs, consolidated their position at the top of the table with 20 points after their 10th victory.
Manish Pandey (33) was the top-scorer for KKR but the hosts lost too many wickets early in the innings to put pressure on the middle and lower-order.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians tested their bench with much aplomb as Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary slammed half- centuries to lift them to 173-5.
Making his debut for Mumbai Indians, Tiwary seized the opportunity with a glittering 43-ball 52 (9×4) while Rayudu who made a comeback after more than a month was Mumbai’s top- scorer with a spectacular 63 from 37 balls (6×4, 3×6).
For KKR, Trent Boult (2/30) took two wickets, while Ankit Rajpoot (1/14) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/25) took one wicket each after skipper Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bowl in the match which was delayed due to rain and thunderstorm.