Kolkata: Total 430 runs (combined) were scored in 47th Indian Premier League contest between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians in 40 overs at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.
Though KKR won the match by 34 runs, Hardik Pandya stole the thunder of the game, as the Mumbai all-rounder smashed 91 runs off just 34 balls en route to the fastest fifty of the ongoing season of the cash-rich league.
Chasing a mountain size target of 233 runs in 20 overs, Mumbai's start was not good as they lost both their openers Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock in the powerplay.
De Kock crumbled under the pressure as Sunil Narine removed the South African in the second ball of his very first over. Harry Gurney dismissed Mumbai skipper in the 4th over when Rohit was batting at 12.
Evin Lewis and Suryakumar Yadav added 20 runs for the third wicket before Russell removed them both in successive overs.
Batting at number Kieron Pollard never looked in touch as he gifted his wicket to Sunil Narine in the 14th over when Mumbai's scoreboard read 121.
While Mumbai kept losing wickets in regular intervals, all-rounder Hardik Pandya hammered Kolkata bowlers all over the park. Pandya put up a 63-run stand with Pollard with most runs coming off Hardik's bat.
The senior Pandya, Krunal joined Hardik at the crease in 13.2 over when Mumbai needed 112 runs to win off 40 balls. Both Pandya brother added 64 runs off 28 balls as en route Hardik smashed the fastest fifty in the ongoing season of the cash-rich league.
Hardik took just 17 balls to score his third Indian Premier League fifty. Hardik smashed 34 runs off his next 17 balls before Gurney got the better of Indian all-rounder in the 18th over.
Hardik scored 91 runs off 34 balls with the help of nine sixes and six fours.
Following Hardik's departure, Barinder Sran Krunal at the strike. Krunal scored 24 runs off 18 balls before Piyush Chawla sends him back to the stands in last over.
Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders rode on half-centuries from Chris Lynn, Shubman Gill and Andre Russell to post a mammoth 232/2 in their 20 overs against Mumbai Indians.
Asked to bat first, KKR openers Chris Lynn and Shubman Gill gave Kolkata a flying start as the duo added 96 runs for the first wicket in 9.3 overs.
Rahul Chahar put a brake on Lynn and Gill's assault by removing the Australian from the attack. During his stay, Lynn demolished Mumbai bowlers as the KKR opener smashed 54 runs off 29 balls with the help of 8 fours and two six.
Andre Russell, who has openly criticized his batting position in many press conferences during the ongoing season of the cash-rich league, was promoted at number three. Russell joined Gill in the middle when KKR's scoreboard read 96/1 in 9.3 overs.
Mumbai all-rounder Hardik Pandya removed Shubman Gill in the 16th over when Kolkata was comfortably sitting at 158. Gill scored 76 runs off 45 balls with the help of 8 fours and two sixes.
KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik joined Russell in the 16th over. Dinesh Karthik scored 15 runs off seven balls.
And after that it just Russell show.
Andre Russell smashed 80 runs off 40 balls at a strike rate of 200. During his 80 runs knock, Russell smashed six fours and eight sixes.
For Mumbai, Rahul Chahar picked one wicket giving away 54 runs.
For Kolkata Narine, Gurney, Russell picked two wickets each while Chawal bagged one wicket.
Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders: 232/2 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 80, Shubman Gill 76; Hardik Pandya 1/31) beat Mumbai Indians (Hardik Pandya 91; Andre Russell 2/25) by 34 runs.
