What hit Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians - Karn Sharma explains - Hindustan Times
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What hit Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians - Karn Sharma explains

Bangalore | By
May 20, 2017 10:32 PM IST

Mumbai Indians spinner Karn Sharma said the first six overs of the team’s IPL 2017 Qualifier 2 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders swung the game in their favour

Mumbai Indians spinner Karn Sharma attributed the team’s win in the IPL 2017 Qualifier 2 to their superb start, while Kolkata Knight Riders’ Piyush Chawla blamed his side’s shambolic batting display as the main reason for their loss, here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, on Friday.

Mumbai Indians’ Karn Sharma (R) celebrates a Kolkata Knight Riders wicket with teammates during their 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) second qualifier match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Friday.(AP)
Mumbai Indians’ Karn Sharma (R) celebrates a Kolkata Knight Riders wicket with teammates during their 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) second qualifier match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Friday.(AP)

After being sent in to bat by Rohit Sharma, the former champions folded up for just 107 runs, with the uncapped pair of Ishank Jaggi (31) and Suryakumar Yadav (28) the only ones to go beyond the15-run mark. Karn Sharma (4/16) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/7) led the charge for Mumbai Indians, the duo sharing seven wickets between them to run through the opposition batting line-up.

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“It was a slow wicket, not a regular Bangalore wicket but getting out for 107 is not enough, we need to work hard on our batting,” Chawla said at the post-match press conference. “It (shot selection) completely depends on the batsman; if someone is good at something then they back themselves. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. Once you are defending 107 runs then you try and get wickets at regular intervals. We didn’t bat well that’s why we managed to get just 107.”

READ | Jasprit Bumrah, Karn Sharma blow hot and cold for MI, overwhelm KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders had made three changes to their side, including dropping Yusuf Pathan for the first time this season but Chawla, who seemed to be sent to the presser just to save his captain the blushes, didn’t want to comment on it and left immediately after.

Mumbai Indians’ star of the show Karn Sharma, too, later admitted that it was the brilliant start that his side was off to, that saw them come out on top. “The wicket was slow, it was not like Bangalore was before but it was good for us as we bowled well from the start and we got wickets in the middle, that’s more important,” Sharma said. “T20 is all about momentum. We started well in the first six overs and that’s how we won the game.”

Kolkata Knight Riders were reduced to 31 for the loss of five wickets before Jaggi and Suryakumar helped pull their side out of the dismal situation with a 56-run partnership for the sixth wicket. “They (KKR) have a very good batting line-up. They’re not scoring that (amount of) runs but they have a very good batting line-up,” Sharma said, before stating that their history against KKR didn’t matter before heading into such a crunch game.

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“You can’t say that we had a mental advantage because we are playing good. Last game (first qualifier against RPS) was not that good but we’re playing very well and it’s T20 and you need momentum.”

Sharma hasn’t been a regular for Mumbai Indians this season but has delivered when required and has picked up 13 wickets in the eight matches he has played. “It’s good for me that I’ve just been working hard when I’m not playing, so the main motive is to when I get a game I need to perform for the team and that’s more important for me,” he said.

Mumbai Indians will next take on Rising Pune Supergiant, against whom they’ve lost all three matches this season, in the final on Sunday. However, Sharma wasn’t a tad bit bothered. “We’re fully prepared and we will win the final. That’s for sure. That was past,” he said before signing off.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Bihan is a multimedia correspondent and works with the sports desk in Mumbai. He mostly covers cricket but his interests include football, tennis and badminton as well.

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