Mumbai Indians beat Knight Riders by 9 runs

East London: Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan won't be returning to South Africa in the near future as their team's woes continues in South Africa.

JP Duminy starred with bat and Zaheer Khan with the ball as Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders by Indians 9 runs at East London on Friday.

It was Duminy's late fireworks that helped Mumbai indians to post a respectable total of 148/6 in twenty overs. Duminy was in thrilling form, blasting 52 from 37 runs, which was studded with four sixes and one four.

In response, Hodge 73(60) threatened for the Mumbai Indians as Zaheer Khan claimed 3 wickets for 31 to restrict their opponents to 139/6. Hodge had a 89 partnership for the third wicket with Morne van Wyk, who hit 3 fours in his 32-run knock that came off 35 balls.

Kolkata Knight Riders were off to a horrendous start as they lost Saurav Ganguly in the very first ball of the innings. In Zaheer's next over, Gayle (7) tried to pull but edged the slower ball onto his stumps. It was the last match for the Gayle as he returns to England for the Test series.

Electing to bat first Mumbai Indians were off to a poor start as the lost their veteran opener Sanath Jayasurya for six runs.

Mumbai's captain Tendulkar hit two sixes and 3 fours in his 30-ball 34 before hitting a low full toss to short extra cover for his Kolkata counterpart Brendon McCullum to take the catch. Harbhajan Singh who was promoted to the top could not flare with the bat as he was dismissed for six runs.

JP Duminy is the Man of the Match for his well paced half century which took Mumbai to 148.

"I thought it wasn't the easiest pitch to bat on. I just wanted to bat on till the end. " said Duminy after receiving the man of the match award.

Teams:

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (Capt.), Sanath Jayasuriya, Jean Paul Duminy, Abhishek Nayar, Ajinkya Rahane, Saurabh Tiwary, Pinal Shah, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga, Graham Napier.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Brendon McCullum (Capt.), Chris Gayle, Sourav Ganguly, Brad Hodge, Morne van Wyk, Wriddhiman Saha, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda.

thatsCricket