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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) began their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 campaign on a losing note as defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) thrashed them by 49 runs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Batting first, MI posted a mammoth total of 195/5 on the scoreboard. In reply, KKR could only reach 146/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Pat Cummins with 33 runs was the highest scorer for the Knight Riders.
For MI, Trent Boult, James Pattinson, Jasprit Bumrah and Rahul Chahar picked up two wickets each. At the same time, Kieron Pollard bagged one scalp.
Rohit becomes the fourth batsman to score 200 sixes
Earlier, Rohit Sharma added another feather to his illustrative cap. The Mumbaikar became the fourth batsman to hit 200 sixes in the IPL and only the second Indian to do so after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni. MSD has so far smashed 212 sixes in the cash-rich league.
Rohit overtook Suresh Raina who has 194 sixes to his name. Overall, Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) opener Chris Gayle tops the list with 326 sixes, while the spinal-column of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Ab de Villiers, is second with 214 maximums to his name.
Most sixes in IPL:
- 326 – Chris Gayle
- 214 – AB de Villiers
- 212 – MS Dhoni
- 200 – Rohit Sharma *
- 194 – Suresh Raina
Rohit scored 80 runs off 54 balls, including six sixes and three fours. Apart from the 33-year-old, Surya Kumar Yadav made 47 off 28 deliveries with 6 fours and one six. For the Knight Riders, Shivam Mavi picked two wickets while Sunil Narine and Andre Russell bagged one scalp each.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Rohit loves scoring runs against #KKR Has been brutal with anything that is short!! Coming up to 900 runs with 1 x 💯 and now 6 x 50’s #Dream11IPL
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) September 23, 2020
Rohit Sharma and short ball. Beautiful love story #ipl
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 23, 2020
The pull shot was designed to be played by Rohit Sharma….
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 23, 2020
Most runs against a team in IPL:
865* – ROHIT vs KKR
829 – Warner vs KKR
825 – Kohli v Delhi
819 – Warner v KXIP
818 – Raina v KKR
818 – Raina v MI
814 – Raina v KXIP#IPL2020 #KKRvMI— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) September 23, 2020
Is there a better sight in cricket than Rohit pulling genuine fast-bowlers for sixes? I don’t think so…. 🙇♂️ #WhatAPlayer #MI #MIvKKR
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 23, 2020
Can't keep a top player down for long. Bumrah has been outstanding. Big part of an excellent bowling effort by @mipaltan today
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 23, 2020
If you had to pick the KKR batsman who would hit an on song Bumrah for 4 sixes in an over, this scenario wouldn’t be in your first 5 guesses. Well played Cummins, handy help to the NRR 👏
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) September 23, 2020
WE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 23, 2020
20 – 06 😎
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 23, 2020
Most Man of the Match awards in IPL:
21 – Chris Gayle
20 – AB de Villiers
18 – ROHIT SHARMA @ImRo45
17 – David Warner
17 – MS Dhoni
16 – Yousuf Pathan#IPL2020 #KKRvsMI— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) September 23, 2020
Big ground,great use of bouncers by #mi . Came to ball with proper plan. Huge win that for @mipaltan #RohithSharma #bumrah #boult #surya
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 23, 2020
It was supposed to be a contest between KKR's middle-order muscle vs MI's bowling power. In T20, it is always bowling muscle which always wins more matches. Tonight it was proved again. #MIvsKKR #IPLinUAE #IPL2020
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) September 23, 2020
Polished performance by the men in blue @mipaltan lead by the hitman @ImRo45 always love watching @surya_14kumar so pleasing on the eye. @Jaspritbumrah93 back to his best. Sooo good.. in for a cracker of a season.. @IPL
— JP Duminy (@jpduminy21) September 23, 2020
Solid comeback from @mipaltan led by the skipper @ImRo45 and @surya_14kumar then with the ball Boult Pattinson and Bumrah all contributed. Chahar picked up DK so solid overall.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) September 23, 2020
It’s certain that @KKRiders will not be able to cross the finishing line. They should try and make sure that they shouldn’t loose the game with a big margin. If they do it might haunt them in the later stage of the tournament.#ProGyaan #IPL2020 #KKRvMI
— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) September 23, 2020
