Picture : IPL / X
In one of the best early matches so far of the Tata IPL 2024 , Sunrisers Hyderabad thwarted off a gritty chase by Mumbai Indians to clinch a thrilling 31 run-win in a fantastic run feast encounter at Hyderabad .
Mumbai Indians Skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and put the hosts SRH into bat . And straightaway the hosts made their intension clear. Mayank Agarwal fell early for 11 . But Travis Head after missing the first game against KKR showed what the team missed. A dazzling explosive start . Head was blistering and from the word go went after the Mumbai Indians bowling . Head smashed 62 ( 24 balls , 9 fours, 3 sixes) . He made MUmbai pay heavily after he was dropped by fellow Australian Tim David . Head went after 17-year-old South African pacer Kwena Maphaka making debut for MI . Joining Head was Abhishek Sharma who was equally devastating smashing 63 ( 23 balls , 3 fours , 7 sixes) . MUmbai bowling looked hapless.
Hardik Pandya plan to put SRH in back-fired and his move to hold back Jasprit Bumrah was surprising and baffling tactic . Despite Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma going on the rampage, Pandya didn’t bring Bumrah back Bumrah till the 13th over.
And rubbing more slats in the MI wounds were the two South Africans who joined the carnage party – Heinrich Klaasen 80 ( 34 balls , 4 fours 7 sies) and former SRH Skipper Aiden Markram 42 ( 28 balls , 2 fours, 1 six) both remained unbeaten as SRH posted the highest ever total in IPL history of 277/ 3 in their 20 overs .
Mumbai bowling was in tatters : Kwena Maphaka 0/ 66 ( 4 overs), Hardik Pandya 1/ 46 ( 4 overs), Jasprit Bumrah 0/ 36 ( 4 overs), Gerald Coetzee 1/ 57 ( 4 overs), Piyush Chawla 1/ 34 ( 2 overs), Shams Mulani 0/ 33 ( 2 overs)
In reply Mumbai Indians got off to a flier with Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. The chase was on . Rohit Sharma 26 ( 12 balls , 1 four 3 sixes) , Ishan Kishan 34 ( 13 balls 2 fours , 4 sixes) put on 56 for the first wicket when Kishan fell in just 3. 2 overs. Young Naman Dhir 30 ( 14 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) and Tilak Varma carried on . Varma 64 (34 balls , 2 fours, 6 sixes) . SRH hit back with key wickets by Skipper Pat Cummins and Jaidev Unadkat . Hardik Pandya scored 24. Aussie Tim David 42 ( 22 balls , 2 fours, 3 sixes) tried his beat stayed unbeaten but the target was bit too much .Mumbai eventually after a gallant chase could reach 246/ 5 in their 20 overs.
SRH Skipper Cummins bowled a game changing 15th over conceding just 3 runs . He had fine figures of 2/ 35 ( 4 overs) in a match where bowlers were sent on a leather hunt . Jaidev Unadkat was brilliant after an expensive first over of 17 runs. Unadkat conceded 30 in next three to finish with impressive 2/ 47 ( 4 overs).
The smile on SRH Skipper Cummins face said it all. Having lost the first match to KKR by mere four runs the win at home was indeed pleasing.
SRH bowling figures were : Bhuvneshwar Kumar 0/ 53 ( 4 overs), Jaydev Unadkat 2/ 47 ( 4 overs< Pat Cummins 2/ 35 ( 4 overs), Shahbaz Ahmed 1/ 39 ( 3 overs), Umran Malik 0/ 15 ( 1 over), Mayank Markande 0/ 52 ( 4 overs)
MI Impact Player: Romario Shepherd replaces Kwena Maphaka
SRH Impact Player: Umran Malik replaces Travis Head
Match: IPL 2024, 8th Match
Venue: Hyderabad | Date: March 27, 2024
