In a six-fest on a batting paradise of a wicket at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by a comfortable margin of 31 runs. SRH posted 277/3, the highest total in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Till the slog overs, it looked like MI could do the unthinkable but SRH pacers made a comeback to keep Tim David and skipper Hardik Pandya at bay long enough to take the game away.
Travis Head’s unreal SRH debut
Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl first. Kwena Maphaka started well conceding seven runs in his first over on IPL debut. Travis Head's catch was dropped by David in Pandya's first over. In Maphaka's next over, Head was smashed for two sixes and a couple of fours. In Pandya's next over, Head hit a hat-trick of fours. In the sixth over, Head reached his half-century from 18 balls. Gerald Coetzee leaked 23 runs in his first over. SRH were 81/1 after powerplay overs. Piyush Chawla was introduced into the attack and Abhishek Sharma smashed him for three sixes. In the next over, Coetzee got Head's wicket. He scored 62 runs from 24 balls including nine fours and three sixes on his SRH debut.
Abhishek’s fastest fifty, Klaasen’s record-breaking finish
Maphaka was brought back into the attack and Abhishek slammed him for two fours and two sixes. He reached his fifty from 16 balls, the fastest for SRH. In Chawla's next over, Abhishek hit a six and got out the next ball. He scored 63 runs from 23 balls including three fours and seven sixes. Klaasen did not need much time to get going with Aiden Markram on the other end. In the 15th over, SRH got past 200 with a six off Klaasen's bat against Bumrah. In the 18th over, he reached his half-century from 23 balls. In the penultimate over, Bumrah was hit for two fours. Shams Mulani got the last over. Klaasen hit one four and two sixes to get SRH's score past RCB's 263/3. Klaasen remained unbeaten for 80 off 34 balls to take SRH's score to 277/3.
MI’s perfect answer
In the run chase, MI openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan were not timid in their approach. They went after SRH's new ball bowlers. Rohit hit Jaydev Unadkat for two consecutive sixes in the second over. Kishan targetted SRH's bowling spearhead smashing him for a four and three massive sixes. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed broke the partnership in the fourth over. Kishan hit a six and then lost his wicket off the next ball. Kishan scored 34 runs from 13 balls. MI were 56/1 after just 3.2 overs. Shahbaz would have got rid of both openers but Abdul Samad dropped Rohit's catch. But it did not turn out to be expensive. Cummins was hit for a six. But he got the former MI skipper's wicket with a short ball. Rohit departed for a 12-ball 26. After powerplay overs, MI were 76/2.
Tilak keeps run chase alive
Impact player Umran Malik was hit for one six each by Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir. In the 10th over, Varma went after Shahbaz and tonked three sixes to keep the run chase alive. MI were 141/2 after 10 overs. The southpaw reached his half-century from 24 balls. Unadkat got the better of Dhir in the 11th over. The youngster contributed with a 14-ball 30 cameo. Mayank Markande took a beating from Pandya as he was hit for a six and a four. Bhuvneshwar came back into the attack and conceded just five runs.
David, Shepherd's big hits not enough
In the 15th over, Cummins got the prized wicket of Varma. He departed after a 34-ball 64. It was laced with two fours and six sixes. Unadkt kept David at bay with his slower deliveries and cutters. The Australian big-hitter went after Bhuvneshwar smashing him for two sixes and a four. In Unadkat's next over, David hit a four and a six. But Unadkat finished well with Pandya's wicket with a cutter. The skipper scored 24 runs from 20 balls. In the penultimate over, Cummins conceded just seven runs. In the final over, impact player Romario Shepherd smashed a six and two fours off Markande. But MI managed to post 246/5 and lost the match by 31 runs.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
