In a thrilling encounter at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the Mumbai Indians (MI) secured a resounding seven-wicket victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), marking their fourth triumph in this season of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The hero of the match was undeniably Suryakumar Yadav, whose scintillating century, coupled with valuable support from Tilak Varma during the run-chase, propelled MI to victory.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, MI sought to exploit their bowling strength against a formidable SRH batting lineup. Anshul Kamboj, a promising right-arm medium pacer, was included in the MI squad, while SRH brought in the seasoned Mayank Agarwal to strengthen their batting.
SRH’s innings began on a strong note with openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma attacking the MI bowlers during the powerplay, consistently finding the boundaries. However, drama unfolded in the fifth over when Kamboj, making his debut, faced an aggressive Head who initially hit him for a six. Kamboj then bowled Head, but to his dismay, it was declared a no-ball. Head capitalized on the free hit and the subsequent delivery, smashing back-to-back fours. Despite SRH’s promising start, MI drew first blood before the powerplay ended, as Jasprit Bumrah had Abhishek caught behind on 11 runs off 16 balls.
The momentum continued to sway as Mayank Agarwal was bowled by Kamboj in the eighth over, marking his maiden wicket on debut. SRH’s innings was marred by the regular loss of wickets, and apart from the opening partnership of 56 runs, no other pair managed to put up a significant stand. Many SRH batsmen got starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores. The crucial blow came when Travis Head was dismissed for 48 in the 12th over, putting MI in command. By the 17th over, SRH was reeling at 136 for eight, prompting them to bring in Sanvir Singh as an impact player.
Pat Cummins then staged a vital cameo, scoring 35 off just 17 balls with two sixes and two fours, leading SRH to a respectable total of 173. His aggressive batting, in conjunction with a crucial last-wicket partnership of 37 runs, gave SRH a fighting chance. MI’s captain Hardik Pandya emerged as one of the most successful bowlers, claiming three wickets for 31 runs, while Piyush Chawla also contributed significantly with three for 33.
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MI’s chase began with a bang as their openers, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma, quickly put on 26 runs within the first two overs, displaying early aggression. However, SRH struck back soon, with Marco Jansen getting Ishan to edge one to slip. Rohit Sharma’s dismissal came in the fourth over as he top-edged a delivery, which was caught by the wicketkeeper. Naman Dhir’s quick departure in the fifth over, edging to first slip off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, left MI in a precarious position at 31 for three.
In this moment of crisis, Suryakumar Yadav stepped up and demonstrated his extraordinary class. He launched an assertive counterattack, starting with a marvelous drive off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Tilak Varma joined forces with him, especially taking on Pat Cummins in the sixth over. By the end of the powerplay, MI had steadied their innings to 52 for three.
Suryakumar continued his onslaught even as the field spread. The seventh over saw him plunder 22 runs off Marco Jansen, including two massive sixes and two fours, effectively dissipating any pressure SRH tried to build. Dominating the bowlers, Suryakumar found an able partner in Tilak, who held one end steadfastly, allowing Suryakumar to express his attacking prowess.
At the very venue where he celebrated his maiden IPL century last year batting first, Suryakumar showcased his mastery in different circumstances — this time in a run chase. He treated fans to an array of breathtaking shots, offering a cricketing spectacle. Reaching his fifty off 30 balls, he then accelerated notably, completing his century in just 51 deliveries, with the second fifty coming in an explosive 21 balls.
The victory was sealed emphatically as Suryakumar hammered T Natarajan for a six in the 18th over, coinciding with his century and ensuring MI reached the target with 16 balls to spare. Suryakumar ended the match as the undisputed star, his phenomenal century etching a memorable win for the Mumbai Indians.
