IPL 2021: Venkatesh Iyer-Rahul Tripathi make a mockery of 156-run target, KKR blow away MI

Madhya Pradesh lad Venkatesh Iyer has taken the second half of the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as after playing an unbeaten knock of 41 runs in the last game, he tore apart the Mumbai Indians bowling attack as the men in purple blew away the defending champions, chasing down 156 runs in just 15.1 overs.

After seeing the first ball, Shubman Gill launched Trent Boult for a six, a couple of balls later, Iyer too sent Boult for a distance and KKR were off to a flier. The next over, Iyer hit a six and a four in Adam Milne's over and it seemed like he had a train or plane to catch after the game.

It was fearless, it was attacking and everything that Morgan and McCullum had suggested that KKR could offer in the second half. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Gill but it looked like Morgan had transferred the England white-ball energy into this as the incoming batter, Rahul Tripathi started from where Gill left.

He was particularly severe against leg-spinner Rahul Chahar as both Iyer and Tripathi just kept smashing. Whether it was Bumrah, Noult, Milne, Krunal Pandya, Chahar, they just kept going at it.

Iyer brought up his maiden IPL fifty in just 24 balls but soon after fell to Bumrah. Tripathi, however, went on and stayed till the end as the Knight Riders chased down the total with 29 balls to spare and it was a win as comprehensive as it could get against an international quality bowling attack.

Maiden #VIVOIPL half-century for Venkatesh Iyer 

What a knock he has been playing! @KKRiders zoom past hundred in the chase. 

Follow the match  https://t.co/SVn8iKC4Hl#VIVOIPL #MIvKKR pic.twitter.com/N3eBJrInIX

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 23, 2021

However, it was set up by the bowers as they the famed MI batting line-up to 155 runs in the first innings as Lockie Ferguson bowled an exceptional spell, especially the two overs at the death after Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy kept the scoring rate in check.

For his impressive performance with the ball, @KKRiders' Sunil Narine won the Man of the Match award.  #VIVOIPL #MIvKKR

Scorecard  https://t.co/SVn8iKC4Hl pic.twitter.com/wAfiTZxHy6

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 23, 2021

For Mumbai Indians, Quinton de Kock played an important innings of 55 runs after skipper Rohit Sharma got out for a scratchy 33. Some late blows from Kieron Pollard and Krunal Pandya helped them get to a total beyond 150.

After this win, KKR entered into top four with four wins in nine games and a better NRR than MI as the latter slipped to fifth spot.