The Mumbai Indians (MI) secured a resounding seven-wicket victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at their home ground, Wankhede Stadium, in Match 55 of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This victory marked MI’s fourth win of the season and was majorly spearheaded by a brilliant century from Suryakumar Yadav, with significant support from Tilak Varma during the run chase.
Following the trend observed in the TATA IPL 2024, MI won the toss and opted to bowl first against the formidable batting line-up of SRH. The introduction of Anshul Kamboj, the right-arm medium pacer, proved to be a crucial decision for MI. Meanwhile, SRH reinstated the experienced Mayank Agarwal to strengthen their batting.
The opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma got SRH off to a brisk start during the powerplay, regularly finding boundaries. The innings saw a notable moment of tension in the fifth over when Kamboj took to the bowling crease. Head demonstrated his attacking intent by hitting a six off the second ball, but drama ensued when Kamboj bowled Head only for it to be declared a no-ball. Head capitalized on the free-hit with a four and followed it up with another boundary. However, just before the powerplay concluded, MI struck their first blow as Jasprit Bumrah had Abhishek Sharma (11 off 16) caught behind.
In the eighth over, SRH faced another setback with the dismissal of Mayank Agarwal, bowled by the debutant Kamboj. This pattern of losing wickets continued to plague SRH’s innings; despite the solid opening stand of 56, the following partnerships failed to exceed 50 runs. Numerous batsmen got starts but couldn’t translate them into significant scores. The pivotal moment arrived when Head was dismissed for 48 in the 12th over, dealing a substantial blow to SRH. By the 17th over, SRH was reeling at 136 for eight, prompting them to bring in Sanvir Singh as the impact player.
It was Pat Cummins’ aggressive innings that provided a late flourish for SRH. Cummins hammered 35 off just 17 balls, including two sixes and two fours, propelling SRH to a competitive total of 173. The 37-run partnership for the last wicket proved crucial, giving SRH’s bowlers a tangible target to defend.
. Drawing inspiration from a previous game where Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defended a similar score against MI at the same venue, SRH had their hopes high. MI’s successful bowlers included captain Hardik Pandya, who took three for 31, and Piyush Chawla, who matched the feat with figures of three for 33.
The run-chase for MI started on a promising note with openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma racing to 26 runs inside two overs, showcasing aggressive intent. However, SRH struck back almost immediately. Marco Jansen dismissed Ishan Kishan, who edged to slip. In the fourth over, Rohit Sharma top-edged a delivery caught by the wicketkeeper, strengthening SRH’s grip. Another early dismissal followed as Naman Dhir edged to first slip off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the fifth over, plunging MI into trouble at 31 for three.
In response, Suryakumar Yadav took charge, displaying his attacking prowess and proving that offense is sometimes the best defense. The flamboyant batsman initiated his charge with a stylish drive for a four off Bhuvneshwar Kumar early in his innings. Tilak Varma joined the onslaught by attacking Cummins in the sixth over, bringing MI to 52 for three by the end of the powerplay.
As the fielding restrictions eased, Suryakumar’s aggressive approach remained unchanged. He took Marco Jansen for 22 runs in the seventh over alone, smashing two sixes and two fours. From that point, Suryakumar fully dominated, offering SRH bowlers no chance for a comeback. Tilak Varma played a steady supporting role, anchoring one end and allowing Suryakumar free reign at the crease.
Suryakumar’s magnificent display saw him reaching his fifty in just 30 balls. What followed was a masterclass in attacking T20 batting, as he raced to his next fifty in only 21 balls. The victory was eventually sealed when Suryakumar smashed T Natarajan for a six in the 18th over, not only achieving his century but also securing the win for MI with 16 balls to spare.
Suryakumar Yadav was unequivocally the star of the match, with his memorable century guiding Mumbai Indians to a significant and morale-boosting victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
