KKR’s Rahane and MI’s Rohit dazzle Wankhede with masterful strokeplay

KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane during his 67 against MI at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Pic/Atul Kamble; (right) Rohit Sharma. Pic/PTI

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane, a Mumbai veteran, read the conditions at the Wankhede perfectly after being put in by Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya in their IPL-19 campaign opener on Sunday.

At the time of going to press, MI were 135-0 in 11 overs. Rohit Sharma was batting on 67 (off 34 balls) and Ryan Rickelton was unbeaten on 66 (off 33 balls).

Rahane crafted an impressive 40-ball 67 (3x4, 5x6) to help KKR post 220-4 in 20 overs.

Rahane used his wrists beautifully, flicking a good length ball for a maximum over the mid-on fence off left-arm pacer Trent Boult (0-38) to open his account in the first over. He effortlessly welcomed Hardik (1-39) with two back-to-back sixes. The first, a well timed flick over long leg and the second dispatched over square leg fence with an easy pull shot.

Rahane and Finn Allen (17-ball 37) helped KKR reach 50 off just 3.5 overs, stitching together 69 off just 32 balls.

Rahane showcased his wrist work again dispatching MI bowling ace Jasprit Bumrah (0-35) for four when he came in to attack in the fifth over. Rahane, 37, was quick in his running between the wickets too as he twice in compelled the young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 21, to steal double runs against young Afghanistan spinner AM Ghazanfar (0-51).

Rahane's straight six off leg-spinner Mayank Markande was another perfect example of taking minimum risk and getting maximum returns. Rahane, who got to his half-century in just 27 balls, eventually fell to his Mumbai Ranji teammate, Shardul Thakur (3-39).

Thereafter though another Mumbai-based batter Raghuvanshi (29-ball 51, 6x4, 2x6) helped himself to a well made half-ton after being dropped on 21 by Rohit Sharma near the long-on fence.

300
No. of matches played by the Mumbai Indians - 278 in the IPL and 22 in the CLT20