Mumbai thump Kolkata to go second

MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians joined Rajasthan Royals at No. 2 honours after the latter had broken away with a win of their own. And the win came easy against the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders.

They won the toss, batted first, Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik got them a target, and their superior attack shut Knight Riders out.

Tendulkar smacked Ryan McLaren for five successive fours in the fourth over. He reached 29 off 17 balls. Despite Dwayne Smith's struggle to get going at the other end, Mumbai were headed in the right direction.

The lights came back on for Tendulkar to score 19 more off 11 more balls. Smith failed to reach a run a ball, but by the time they fell, Mumbai had reached 99 in the 14th over. Some good fielding - Eoin Morgan's catch at deep midwicket, and two run-outs - reduced Mumbai to 144 for 6 in the 19th over.

Karthik, though, kept scoring from one end. Most striking was hit unsettling of Sunil Narine. He hit Narine off his length and took 20 off the 11 balls he faced form Narine. Mithcell Johnson smacked the last ball of the innings for a straight six.