Suryakumar Yadav’s successive half century and an all-round performance from Hardik Pandya powered Mumbai Indians to a 13-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders, keeping them in play-offs contention in the Indian Premier League.
Pandya scored 35 runs off 20 balls to lift his team to 181/4 after Kolkata captain Dinesh Karthik chose to field.
He then took 2-19 to restrict Kolkata to 168 runs as Mumbai moved up the table with eight points from four wins. Kolkata is third on 10 points after winning half of the 10 games played.
Kolkata seemed to be on the way to victory after Robin Uthappa capitalized on an early dropped catch to hit his first half-century in this year's IPL.
Uthappa and Nitish Rana (31) contributed to an 84-run third wicket partnership after Mayank Markande dropped an easy chance at mid-on when Uthappa was on 4.
But Markande broke through in the 13th over when Uthappa holed out in the deep to Cutting and Hardik dismissed Rana in the next over to reduce Kolkata to 115-4.
Hard-hitting Andre Russell (9) and Sunil Narine (5) also perished while going for big shots and, despite Karthik’s unbeaten 36 off 26 balls, Mumbai always looked in control to deny Kolkata’s chase.
Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav (59 off 39) and Evin Lewis (43 off 28) provided Mumbai a rapid start of 91 off 56 before Kolkata hit back through Russell (2-12) and Narine (2-35).
Lewis sliced Russell's slower delivery to short third man before the West Indian seamer found an edge off Yadav, who hit seven fours and two sixes.
Narine accounted for the wickets of captain Rohit Sharma (11) and Krunal Pandya (14) as both batsmen attempted extravagant shots before Hardik's late blitz provided Mumbai enough runs to defend.
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