In an exhilarating clash at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the Mumbai Indians (MI) secured an emphatic seven-wicket victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), marking their fourth triumph in the ongoing TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This victory was fueled by a sensational century from the brilliant Suryakumar Yadav, with valuable contributions from Tilak Varma, ensuring a smooth run-chase that delighted the home crowd.
The game started with MI opting to bowl first, continuing the prevalent trend in this IPL season. They injected fresh energy into their side with the introduction of Anshul Kamboj, a promising right-arm medium pacer. Meanwhile, SRH looked to strengthen their batting prowess by recalling the seasoned Mayank Agarwal.
The opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma gave SRH a solid start, playing aggressively during the powerplay and finding boundaries consistently. However, the drama unfolded in the fifth over when Kamboj, delivering his first over, faced Head’s determined onslaught. Despite Head smashing a six, Kamboj persisted and bowled him out, only for the dismissal to be nullified by a no-ball. Head made the most of the reprieve by hitting a four off the free-hit, followed by another boundary. As soon as the powerplay concluded, MI finally got their breakthrough, thanks to Jasprit Bumrah, who skillfully had Abhishek caught behind for 11 off 16 balls.
In the eighth over, Kamboj redeemed himself by claiming the wicket of Mayank Agarwal, bowling the experienced batsman. This dismissal set the tone for the rest of SRH’s innings, characterized by a steady loss of wickets. Despite an initial partnership of 56 runs, SRH struggled to establish any significant partnerships, failing to go beyond a 50-run stand. Several batsmen found their rhythm but couldn’t convert their starts into substantial scores. A pivotal moment occurred when Head was dismissed for 48 in the 12th over, providing MI with a crucial breakthrough. At one point, SRH found themselves reeling at 136 for eight in the 17th over, which led to the introduction of Sanvir Singh as an impact player.
Nevertheless, it was Pat Cummins’ dynamic batting that propelled SRH to a defendable total. His swashbuckling 35-run knock off just 17 balls, peppered with two sixes and two fours, guided SRH to a final score of 173.
. The 37-run last-wicket partnership proved vital, offering SRH a glimmer of hope considering the venue’s earlier history of successful defenses. MI’s captain Hardik Pandya and Piyush Chawla were the standout bowlers, both taking three wickets and applying the brakes on SRH’s scoring.
MI began their chase on a positive note, with openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma rapid-firing their way to 26 runs within just two overs. However, SRH retaliated swiftly, with Marco Jansen picking up the wicket of Kishan who edged a delivery to slip. Shortly after, Rohit fell to a top-edge caught behind, and Naman Dhir followed soon, edging to first slip off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the fifth over. At a precarious 31 for three, MI found themselves in a challenging position.
Amidst mounting pressure, Suryakumar Yadav decided to counter-attack, displaying his classy flamboyance. He initiated his assault with a crisp drive off Bhuvneshwar, establishing the tone for his innings. Tilak Varma complemented him by taking on Pat Cummins in the sixth over. Despite losing early wickets, MI managed to post 52 runs by the end of the powerplay.
With the field restrictions lifted, Suryakumar ruthlessly targeted Marco Jansen, hammering 22 runs in the seventh over alone, courtesy of two sixes and as many fours. Suryakumar’s dominance prevented SRH bowlers from regaining control, as Tilak Varma provided sturdy support at the other end. Suryakumar, who cracked his first IPL century at Wankhede in a first-innings assault last year, once again displayed his prowess in a run-chase, leading MI to victory with style. Tilak merely stood as a spectator at the non-striker’s end as Suryakumar unfurled an array of exquisite strokes that kept the MI supporters on their feet.
Suryakumar reached his half-century in just 30 deliveries and unleashed an astonishing display of power-hitting to reach his century in a mere 21 additional balls. He sealed the victory by launching T Natarajan for a six in the 18th over, completing another remarkable innings. MI celebrated their win with a comfortable margin, securing the triumph with 16 balls to spare, as Suryakumar Yadav stood out as the star performer with his unforgettable century.