IPL 2021: MI pose real challenge to KKR

Often known as slow starters, MI lost the other day due to the individual brilliance of RCB's Harshal Patel and AB de Villiers on a two-paced wicket here.

Chennai: Fresh from their clinical display against Sunrisers Hyderabad, two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will look to set the record straight against nemesis Mumbai Indians in their second IPL match here on Tuesday.

Having missed the last two playoffs, KKR looked a completely different unit, in the manner in which they defeated SRH by 10 runs in their IPL opener here on Sunday.

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Be it the aggression shown by the top-order or the explosive finish by Dinesh Karthik, KKR’s displayed a fearless approach under skipper Eoin Morgan.

Morgan’s intent was evident right at the toss when he chose to leave out their most-trusted lieutenant, Sunil Narine.

The left-right opening combination of Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill started to attack right from the first ball, clearly indicating that the new approach had Morgan’s success mantra written all over it.

Boasting of a solid middle-order in Andre Russell, Karthik and Morgan, 2020 was a season of promise for KKR but some rudderless planning did not help their cause.

KKR would look to come out all guns blazing against the five-time champions on Tuesday. They have won just once in their last 12 games against MI, and have an overall lopsided 6-21 head-to-head record.

But eventually, it will all boil down to a battle of wits between Morgan and Rohit Sharma, under whose captaincy MI has won a record fifth IPL title last season in UAE.

MI will pose a real challenge for KKR as the title holders would be desperate to secure their first win of the season after their two-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL opener on Friday.

Often known as slow starters, MI lost the other day due to the individual brilliance of RCB’s Harshal Patel and AB de Villiers on a two-paced wicket here.

In his debut match for MI, Chris Lynn was their top-scorer, albeit with some stroke of luck as he survived some edges and mishits.

MI’s explosive middle-order consisting of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and the Pandya brothers — Hardik and Krunal — also failed to fire to be restricted to 159 for nine.

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