Bumrah and Karn blow hot and cold to crush Kolkata Knight Riders

Ever since he burst on to the scene, Jasprit Bumrah has been a star performer for Mumbai Indians. Since John Wright spotted him at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament and gave him the break in 2013, Bumrah’s career has grown, the pacer graduating into the spearhead of India’s bowling in limited-overs.

Leg-spinner Karn Sharma’s international career has not been so smooth, but in the IPL he is in his elements. The two were at their destructive best on Friday, sharing seven wickets.

On a wicket with inconsistent bounce, Bumrah was unplayable while Karn Sharma used his variations well. Bumrah took three in three overs, including a wicketmaiden, and Karn four for 16, including two wickets off consecutive deliveries.

Played ahead of senior spin partner Harbhajan Singh, the pressure has been on Karn. He struck in his first over, the fifth of the innings, when he outfoxed KKR pinch-hitter Sunil Narine with a googly. In his next over, he had skipper and the season’s highest run-getter, Gautam Gambhir, caught at midwicket. It was followed by a peach of a delivery to nail Colin de Grandhomme. It was Karn’s night, and when KKR showed signs of a fight back through a 56-run sixth wicket-partnership between Ishank Jaggi and Suryakumar Yadav, Karn returned and hit the final nail in the coffin, luring Jaggi to go over the top to have him caught at long-off.

KKR’s procession was started by Bumrah. He first had Chris Lynn caught at long-on, then nailed Robin Uthappa plumb in front before returning to claim KKR’s top-scorer of the night, Suryakumar Yadav.