Suryakumar Yadav scores 31-ball fifty for Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Suryakumar Yadav continued with his rich form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, as he scored his fourth half-century in the tournament, during the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Mumbai on Sunday. (HIGHLIGHTS)

With this knock, the right-handed opening batsman moved up to become the third-highest run-getter of the 11th edition of IPL. Suryakumar, opening the innings with Lewis, took Mumbai Indians to a commanding position after KKR won the toss and elected to field. (SCORECARD)

He added 91 runs for the first wicket with Evin Lewis, who was dismissed in the 10th over off Andre Russell for a rapid 28-ball 43.

Suryakumar faced 31 balls and hit six fours and two sixes to bring up his half-century.

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Suryakumar started off by collecting 15 runs off Mitchell Johnson’s first over, hammering the left-arm veteran pacer for a six over backward square leg. Suryakumar was lucky on this occasion as despite getting a top edge, the ball sailed over the boundary rope.

He continued to play aggressively as the Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav was smacked for a six over deep midwicket in his first over, and when KKR summoned Nitish Rana for stemming the flow of runs, the Mumbai batsman collected two fours off him in the seventh over.

Suryakumar has been in red-hot form this IPL season, having scored 53 against Delhi Daredevils, 72 against Rajasthan Royals, 57 in Mumbai Indians’ previous game against Kings XI Punjab and completing his fourth fifty on Sunday afternoon.

Yadav was finally dismissed in the 14th over when Andre Russell dismissed him for 59. He wanted to play the delivery down to third man, but ended it giving an easy catch to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps.