Continuing their brilliant run this year, reigning champions Mumbai Indians (MI) registered their third win of the IPL season as they defeated SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 34 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
After putting up an impressive 208/5 wickets in 20 overs, the MI bowlers were exceptional as they exploited SRH’s weakness of lack of power-hitters and defended the target with ease in a ground that has short boundaries. In reply, SunRisers were restricted to 174 for seven wickets in 20 overs.
The Rohit Sharma-led MI thus became the first team to not to concede 200 or more in Sharjah, which has been a batting paradise. Mumbai’s Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson, and Trent Boult scalped a couple of wickets each while Krunal Pandya, who came up with late fireworks earlier in the match, picked one for 35.
Chasing a 209-run target, David Warner (60) and Jonny Bairstow (25) started cautiously, adding 34 runs in the initial four overs. Trent Boult came with the first breakthrough for MI, dismissing Bairstow in the fifth over. Warner and Manish Pandey (30) tried to repair the damage before James Pattinson broke the 60-run stand in the 10th over.
SRH’s most dependable batter, Kane Williamson, however, failed to live up to the reputation he has built as he fell in the 13th over after contributing just three runs. The Kiwi skipper’s departure put SRH in more trouble as their scorecard read 116/3. Next batsman Priyam Garg (8), who had a decent outing in the previous match also fell cheaply and that left the ‘Orange Army’ at 130/4.
The situation further deteriorated for SRH as their skippercum opener Warner departed in the 16th over while trying to improve the required run rate, leaving his side reeling at 142/5. Warner, who was dismissed by Pattinson, smashed five boundaries and two sixes during his knock. Abhishek Sharma and Abdul Samad chipped in with 10 and 20 runs respectively before falling to Jasprit Bumrah.
As it happened in SRH’s last game against Chennai Super Kings, the Warner-led side again missed a quality power-hitter in their lower middle-order. Rashid Khan remained unbeaten on three before the contest ended, with SRH losing by 34 runs. Earlier, opener Quinton de Kock’s 67 off 39 balls (4x4s, 4x6s) and Krunal’s cameo (20 not out off 4) helped MI post 208/5 wkts in the 20 overs.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, MI lost their opener Rohit (6) in the very first over with just six runs on the board. Suryakumar Yadav (27) then joined opener de Kock and the pair was involved in a brief 42-run partnership for the second wicket. Siddarth Kaul eventually dismissed Yadav, reducing MI to 48/2 in 5.5 overs. MI’s in-form batsman Ishan Kishan (31), along with de Kock, forged a crucial 78-run stand for the third wicket. South African de Kock smashed Kane Williamson for a massive six in the 12th over to notch up his first halfcentury of the season that also helped his side cross the threedigit mark.
de Kock’s stay in the middle was, finally, cut short by Rashid Khan in the 14th over. His innings contained four boundaries and as many sixes. Ishan and Hardik Pandya (28) then added 21 for the fourth wicket.
Jharkhand stumper Ishan became a victim of Sandeep Sharma in the 15th over and MI’s scorecard now read 147/4. Hardik and Kieron Pollard (25 not out off 13) added 41 runs in the next 26 balls before Kaul struck again, this time accounting for the wicket of Hardik. Krunal, however, clobbered Kaul for two boundaries and as many sixes to take his side to a respectable total.
Brief scores: MI 208/5 wkts in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 67, Ishan Kishan 31; Sandeep Sharma 2/41) beat SRH 174/7 wkts in 20 overs (David Warner 60, Manish Pandey 30, Jonny Bairstow 25, Trent Boult 2/28) by 34 runs
