Mumbai Indians march into IPL final, beat Knight Riders

Published May 19, 2017
Mumbai Indians bowler Mitchell Johnson celebrates with teammates. —AFP
Mumbai Indians bowler Mitchell Johnson celebrates with teammates. —AFP
Mitchell Johnson celebrates after dismissing Nathan Coulter Nile. —AFP
Mitchell Johnson celebrates after dismissing Nathan Coulter Nile. —AFP

Leg-spinner Karn Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah destroyed Kolkata Knight Riders by sharing seven wickets as Mumbai Indians stormed into the final of the Indian Premier League playoffs with a six-wicket victory on Friday.

The two-time champions Mumbai Indians now meet Rising Pune Supergiant in the final on Sunday. Sharma grabbed 4-16 off his deceptive leg-spin bowling while Bumrah took 3-7 as Knight Riders were bowled out for 107 in 18.5 overs after Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first.

Krunal Pandya top-scored with an unbeaten 45 off 30 balls while Rohit scored 26 and carried Mumbai Indians to 111-4 with more than five overs to spare.

Earlier, Rohit placed his fielders intelligently in the batting powerplay to earn Mumbai vital wickets off hard-hitting Chris Lynn (4) and Sunil Narine (10).

Shah Rukh Khan waves to supporters during the 2017 IPL match. —AFP
Shah Rukh Khan waves to supporters during the 2017 IPL match. —AFP

Lynn holed out to Kieron Pollard at long on off Bumrah's first over while Narine tried to break the shackles before he was deceived by Sharma's googly and was stumped in the fifth over.

Robin Uthappa (1) was undone by Bumrah's pace when he attempted a flick and was adjudged lbw. And Sharma exposed the lower batting order as early as in the seventh over when he dismissed captain Gautam Gambhir (12) and Colin de Grandhomme (0) off successive deliveries and reduced Knight Riders to 5-31.

Suryakumar Yadav (31) and Ishank Jaggi (28) never looked threatening in their 56-run sixth-wicket stand before Sharma returned and had Jaggi caught in the deep in the 15th over.

Mitchell Johnson (2-28) and Lasith Malinga (1-24) then wrapped up the innings quickly as Knight Riders couldn't utilize their full quota of 20 overs.

Mumbai Indians opener Lendl Simmons (3) was unlucky to be adjudged lbw off Piyush Chawla (2-34) as television replays suggested the leg-spinner's googly would have missed the leg stump.

Chawla also clean bowled Ambati Rayudu (6) before Rohit and Pandya put the chase firmly on track with a 54-run fourth wicket stand.

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