In a high-scoring thriller that went down to the wire on April 23 (Saturday), Mumbai Indians sustained a 13-run defeat against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. Chasing a massive target of 215 runs, the Men in Blue were in the hunt to secure a famous win until the last over of the match. Ultimately, the pressure got the better of Rohit Sharma's men as Arshdeep Singh delivered on the best last overs of the season to dash the hopes of the home crowd.
Cameron Green (67 runs off 43 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (57 runs off 26 balls) combined for an exciting partnership. The duo's stroke-making got the Wankhede crowd jumping and when they were at the crease, MI's victory looked more likely. Once Nathan Ellis dismissed Green, the game hung on a knife edge. Arsdeep Singh delivered the body blow to MI once he dismissed Suryakumar.
Talking about Suryakumar, the swashbuckling right-handed batter played a thunderous knock and smashed seven fours and three sixes. The Mumbaikar has been battling a torrid run with form of late. This season, Suryakumar has scored 123 runs in six matches but 100 runs came in just two matches.
MI head coach Mark Boucher reflected on Suryakumar's form and how crucial the right-handed batter is for the franchise.
“It's always nice for Suryakumar Yadav to get some runs. His form is a funny thing, as sometimes you judge it by the numbers. He's been hitting the ball really well in the nets and it was just a matter of time before he translated that into runs. So, I'm very happy for him," Boucher said in the post-match press conference.
"He'll feel very comfortable. For Mumbai Indians, having him in some good form, hitting the ball so sweetly and playing the sort of devastating innings he did tonight, bodes well for the future for us going forward," he added.
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