MUMBAI, India (AP) — Openers Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma hit aggressive half-centuries to lead Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL on Sunday with five balls remaining.
Rickelton scored 81 off 43 balls with eight sixes while Sharma hit 78 off 38, including six sixes, as Mumbai went on to win with 224-4 in 19.1 overs. It was the highest run-chase at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in an Indian Premier League game.
Earlier, after losing the toss, Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 67 off 40 balls, with five sixes, providing the base for his side’s challenging 220-4 in 20 overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi hit 51 off 29 deliveries and Shardul Thakur picked up 3-39 for Mumbai.
Chasing 221, Mumbai set a hectic pace – Rickelton and Sharma put on 148 runs off 71 balls for the first wicket, including 80-0 in the powerplay.
Sharma sped to 50 off 23 balls. Rickelton reached his half century off 24 balls as Kolkata’s bowling didn’t have any answers.
Vaibhav Arora got the breakthrough in the 12th over when Sharma was out after Anukul Roy took a wonderful catch running back to midwicket.
India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav walked in at No. 3 as the impact player and scored 16 off eight balls before holing out to the square leg boundary.
Rickelton was run out in the 16th over, with Mumbai suffering a minor hiccup at 184-3, down from 148-0.
Tilak Varma (20) and Hardik Pandya (18 not out) made sure that the five-time champions won their opening game of the season – a first since the 2012 IPL season.
Good start for Kolkata
Kolkata openers Finn Allen and Rahane put on 69 off 32 balls.
Allen scored 37 off 17, including six fours and two sixes, while Rahane reached his 50 off 27 balls. Kolkata scored 78-1 in the powerplay, with Allen caught in the sixth over off Thakur.
Returning to the Mumbai camp this season, Thakur also accounted for Cameron Green (18) and later Rahane in the 14th over.
At 145-3, Kolkata’s innings was nearly derailed before Raghuvanshi played a rescuing hand. He hit six fours and two sixes, racing to 50 off 28 balls. Vice-captain Rinku Singh was 33 not out off 21.
The duo put on 60 off 30 balls for the fourth wicket to help Kolkata cross 200. But the team’s bowling didn’t match its batting efforts on Sunday evening.
On Monday, it’s Rajasthan Royals vs. Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati.
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