Mumbai Indians (MI) finally got their act together as they grab their first points in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL). Apart from their skipper Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Krunal Pandya stepped to the gas when it mattered the most. And their contribution eventually made the difference.
The elder of the two Pandya brothers, Krunal was roped in by the Mumbai franchise through the Right to Match Card (RTM) option. And the spirited cricketer didn’t disappoint.
The 27-year-old Krunal bagged three crucial wickets of the RCB middle order- Mandeep Singh, Corey Anderson, and Washington Sundar.
Post the game, Pandya handed over the purple cap to his teammate Mayank Markande, who scalped a wicket, conceding just 25 runs in his four overs.
“We’ve played well in all four games, but now we want to continue this winning run. I’ve been impressed with Mayank, and if we can bowl eight good overs, we can restrict the opposition.” Krunal said after his side beat the visitors by a massive 46 run margin.
IPL 2018: Twitter Reacts as Mumbai Indians Thrash Royal Challengers Bangalore
The all-rounder Krunal scored 15 with the bat and was run-out while trying to steal a second to get the skipper back on strike.
It looked fair as Rohit was settled in the crease and was striking the ball neatly.
Rohit’s 94 ends in a winning cause:
Rohit Sharma made 94 off 52 balls, with the help of 10 boundaries and five sixes. It was a long time coming, as the stylish right-hander failed to convert starts as his team suffered three losses on a trot.
Mumbai, known as slow-starters have finally found their mojo.
Krunal’s all-round ability plays key-role
Krunal’s all-round ability gives an edge to the Mumbai set-up. His younger brother Hardik is yet to fire with the bat. The think-tank has been using both the all-rounders quite wisely.
To keep the left-right combination going, Krunal Pandya has been sent in early on certain occasions.
Also read: IPL 2018: 14th Match, MI vs RCB – Mumbai Indians Player Ratings
