Kolkata Knight Riders ride on some brilliant batting by Jacques Kallis and superb bowling by Sunil Narine to beat Mumbai Indians by 41 runs in the opening match of the IPL 7
Abu Dhabi: The seventh Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Wednesday with an emphatic 41-run win for Kolkata Knight Riders over Mumbai Indians, as the evergreen Jacques Kallis set the tone with a 46-ball 72 before Sunil Narine completed the task with four wickets.
Opting to bat, KKR rode on Kallis and Manish Pandey's 64 to post a competitive 163 for five, before restricting Mumbai Indians to 122 for seven, with Narine returning match-winning figures of 4/20.
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Sunil Narine had match-winning figures of 4 for 20. File Pic
After Kallis and Pandey's exploits with the bat, Morne Morkel and Narine showed KKR the way with the ball.
While Morkel had an economical figures of 1/16, with just two runs coming off his first two overs, Narine picked up four for 20.
Mumbai were off to a subdued start with Morkel not allowing an inch to free their arms. The tall South African pacer was bowling to such an impeccable line and length that even the experienced Michael Hussey had no answer.
The first breakthrough, though, was effected by Narine, who sneaked one through the bat and pad of Hussey.
It was a strong comeback by Narine after the Trinidadian's second ball was deposited into the crowd by Aditya Tare (24).
Spin was introduced from both ends early into Mumbai innings.
Jacques Kallis was handed the ball after Mumbai managed only 32 in the first powerplay.
Hussey's departure brought Ambati Rayudu in the middle and giving him company was Tare, who was on the lookout for quick runs.
However, with pressure building up, Tare succumbed when he gave a high return catch to Shakib Al Hasan who held on to it after a fumble.
There was a partnership of 61 runs for the third wicket between Rohit Sharma and Rayudu. But the two fell in quick succession and after that the task was beyond for even the ever-dangerous Kieron Pollard.
Earlier, the evergreen Kallis stole the limelight with a 46-ball 72 as KKR registered a competitive 163/5 against Mumbai.
Electing to bat, KKR's innings was built on a 131-run second-wicket partnership between Kallis and Manish Pandey at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Pandey struck 64 off 53 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes. KKR pummelled 73 runs in the last six overs, with 14 coming in the final one, courtesy Suryakumar Yadav.
Jacques Kallis was man-of-the-match for his 72.
Kallis, who got a reprieve on 34, found the fence five times and cleared it thrice.
Mumbai's pace spearhead Lasith Malinga finished with impressive figures of 4/23.
The start was far from ideal for Knight Riders as they lost skipper Gautam Gambhir for nought in the second over to Malinga.
The experienced left-hander had no answer to the Sri Lankan slinger's yorker that uprooted the stumps.
Pandey and Kallis added valuable runs for the second wicket, ensuring there was no further jolt for KKR till the 17th over.
Pandey played some effective shots to keep the Mumbai attack at bay, even as Kallis stood steady at the other end preferring to score at around run-a-ball.
While Kallis was looking to steady the ship after the captain's early dismissal, Pandey launched into IPL debutant Corey Anderson, hitting the New Zealand all-rounder for a six and a four.
The tournament's first six went straight over the bowler's head as Pandey punished the over-pitched delivery with ease.
Spin was introduced after KKR managed just 31 runs in the first powerplay.
Mumbai, though, failed to make a breakthrough as KKR reached 63 for one at the halfway stage.
Kallis, meanwhile, upped the tempo by picking Pragyan Ojha for special treatment, smashing 20 runs with the help of two sixes and a four, which also saw the team cross the 100-run mark.
The South African then lofted Kieron Pollard on the on-side for another boundary as the Mumbai outfit was getting frustrated.
The drop catch by Malinga off Pollard suddenly assumed significance as Kallis, then batting on 34, opened up after that. A flurry of fours and sixes followed and Kolkata were sitting pretty when they entered the final overs.
Malinga, who was brought back for his second spell, knocked over Pandey's off-stump to give his side a much-needed breakthrough.
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