IPL: Champions Kolkata start on an emphatic note against Mumbai

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens to begin their Indian Premier League (IPL) defense on an emphatic note.

- Scorecard

Chasing 169 to win, the hosts won with nine balls to spare. 

KKR captain Gautam Gambhir led from the front scoring a strokeful 57, his 43-ball innings inclusive of seven boundaries and a six. 

Earlier, continuing his dream run at Eden Gardens, Rohit Sharma smashed an unbeaten 98 to power Mumbai Indians to 168-3.

Put in, the visitors lost two wickets in three balls and looked shaky 37-3 after a fiery spell from man of the match Morne Morkel (2-18) but Sharma, who had struck an ODI world record 264 at the venue in November last year, was again in his element.

Sharma dissected the field with elegance and picked Indian speedster Umesh Yadav as his bunny en route to his 22nd IPL half-century.

Sharma's 98 not out came from 65 balls studded with 12 boundaries and four sixes and was ably supported by New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson, who remained unbeaten on 55 from 41 balls (4x4, 3x6) in a 131-run undefeated partnership.

The star Indian opener was at his explosive best when he smashed three fours and one six as Yadav leaked 21 runs in the 15th over. It gave the much needed impetus to MI run-rate that went under six after the three quick wickets and some clever captaincy by Gautam Gambhir.

While Yadav was expensive, Morkel was the pick of the lot and Gambhir made the South African speedster run through his quota of four overs from the High Court end. 

Morkel dismissed Mumbai Indians star recruit Aaron Finch (5) cheaply when the Australian World Cup winning opener top-edged one to deep square leg and gave a second breakthrough in Ambati Rayudu (0) in his penultimate over. In between, Gambhir cleverly brought in Shakib Al Hasan who foxed Aditya Tare (7) with his flight as the Mumbai wicketkeeper stepped out but only to mistime it to long off. 

But he was severely let down by his fielders. Andre Russell dropped Corey Anderson on 23, a regulation catch at mid-on, while part-time wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa not only missed an outside edge of Sharma but missed a stumping when the Mumbai Indians skipper was on 70.

Chasing a competitive target, Kolkata lost Robin Uthappa (9) early, Anderson having him caught by Harbhajan Singh. 

However, Gambhir and Manish Pandey (40) added 85 runs (under 10 overs) for the second wicket, thereby laying the foundation of the innings. Both though fell in quick succession.

Suryakumar Yadav (46 not out) and Yusuf Pathan (14 not out) took over thereafter, adding 49 runs (off just 25 balls) in an unbroken fourth wicket stand that took the hosts home.