T20 2018: Rohit Sharma and Mumbai are alive and well

Mumbai's Suryakumar plays a shot v Kolkata yesterday

Suryakumar Yadav's 59 coupled with Hardik Pandya's all-round heroics (35 not out and 2-19) helped Mumbai beat Kolkata by 13 runs in an IPL match at the Wankhede yesterday to remain in the hunt for a play offs berth. Chasing 182, Kolkata required 64 to win from the last six overs, but some tight bowling by Mumbaitchell McClenaghan and leg-spinner Mayank Markande changed the equation. The visitors now needed 54 in 24 balls. Jasprit Bumrah then made it all the more difficult for Kolkata, sending Andre Russell (9 off 10) back to the pavilion. Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik (36' off 26) tried his best to salvage the situation with a six and two boundaries in the 19th over off Bumrah, thus bringing the chase down to 23 from the last six balls, but his effort went in vain. Left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya conceded only 10 runs and claimed the wicket of Sunil Narine.

Bumrah bowled well: DK
"I thought I could take on Bumrah and hit him for a couple of sixes. I backed myself to get 20 in the last over, but sometimes it does not go your way. I still got 14 in that over, but Bumrah bowled well," Karthik said yesterday. It was another much-needed win for slow starters Mumbai. Hardik, who plundered four boundaries and a six during his 20-ball knock and was the pick of the Mumbai bowling attack, maintained that his team have the belief that they can qualify. "It feels good. The team is quite positive and we believe that we can do this. We have done it in the past, though this time, it is a bit difficult. I don't like anything which comes easy. This is a challenge and I will be really proud of myself and the team if we can pull it off," the Baroda player said.

Hardik Pandya pulls one en route his 35'. Pics/Atul Kamble

Meanwhile, quizzed about which part of the innings is difficult to bowl, Hardik, who earned the Purple Cap yesterday with 14 wickets, explained that death-over bowling is tough for any bowler. "Obviously, bowling at the death is difficult, but I have understood that in T20 cricket, even if you are bowling well, in odd games, you will go for runs. I have been bowling well and so has Bumz [Bumrah]. If you ask about a difficulty level, bowling in the power plays and at the death is difficult because you have restrictions in the power play and at the death over, they are just there to swing," he said.

'I am being positive'
As far as batting is concerned, Hardik added: "It is just that someday it clicks. I have stopped practising. I am someone who thinks differently. I am just being positive. It's all about one hit. You score one six and all of a sudden the momentum changes."

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