NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday secured their berth in the IPL playoffs with an 18-run victory over Mumbai Indians. The match, initially delayed due to rain, was reduced to a 16-overs-per-side contest. Opting to bat first in the rain-affected clash, KKR posted a competitive total of 157 for 7, propelled by Venkatesh Iyer's explosive 42 off just 21 deliveries.
In response, Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, could only muster 139 for eight. Despite a rapid start from Ishan Kishan, who contributed a brisk 40 off 22 balls, Mumbai Indians struggled to counter the spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy (2/17) and Sunil Narine (1/21) during the middle overs.
