The Mumbai Indians (MI) seized victory at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, securing a triumphant seven-wicket win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 55 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This victory marks MI’s fourth win of the season, a feat largely achieved through the explosive batting of Suryakumar Yadav, who delivered a dazzling century that captivated fans and left SRH’s bowlers struggling to regain control. Complemented by a steady support from Tilak Varma during the run-chase, the game showcased a dramatic blend of skill and determination.
Continuing the evolving strategy seen throughout the TATA IPL 2024 tournament, the Mumbai Indians opted to bowl first, setting themselves against what was expected to be a formidable batting line-up of the Sunrisers Hyderabad. MI introduced Anshul Kamboj, a promising right-arm medium pacer, into their mix for this crucial match. Conversely, SRH, looking to fortify their batting, reintroduced the seasoned campaigner Mayank Agarwal into their team.
The start of the innings for SRH was aggressive, characterized by the attacking duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who played with intent, finding the boundaries with commendable regularity during the Powerplay. The cricket turned particularly dramatic in the fifth over, as Kamboj took the ball and faced Travis Head’s onslaught. A high-adrenaline moment unfolded as Head smacked a six off the second ball, only to find himself bowled by Kamboj in the subsequent delivery—a missed opportunity for Kamboj as it was deemed a no-ball. Head did not let the chance slip and capitalized on the free-hit by cracking a four, continuing with another boundary. But just before the Powerplay concluded, Jasprit Bumrah managed to break through, dismissing Abhishek Sharma for 11 off 16, setting SRH back.
SRH’s innings struggled to gather momentum, marked by regular fall of wickets that prevented any strong partnership from solidifying. Besides their initial burst of 56, no other partnership managed to breach the 50-run mark. Wickets continued to tumble as Mayank Agarwal, returning to bolster the SRH side, was bowled in the eighth over by the debutant Kamboj, further exacerbating SRH’s woes. The decisive blow came when MI took the crucial wicket of Travis Head for 48 in the 12th over, leaving SRH precariously positioned at 136 for eight by the 17th over. In a desperate bid to salvage the innings, SRH brought in Sanvir Singh as an impact player in hopes of shoring up their total.
Nonetheless, formidable late innings batting from Pat Cummins became pivotal, as his aggressive knock of 35 off a mere 17 deliveries provided SRH a fighting chance.
. His innings, highlighted by two towering sixes and a couple of fours, managed to propel SRH’s score to a defensible 173, held together by a vital 37-run stand for the last wicket. This late resistance offered SRH’s bowlers a glimmer of hope, especially considering Mumbai’s earlier struggles against Kolkata Knight Riders who had defended a similar total at the same venue. Stand-out bowling performances from MI came courtesy their captain Hardik Pandya, who nabbed three wickets for 31 runs, and Piyush Chawla, also instrumental with figures of three for 33.
Faced with a chase of 174, MI’s pursuit began with a flourish, as openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma sprinted to 26 inside just two overs, appearing poised and focused. However, SRH retaliated swiftly, dismissing Ishan Kishan to a slip catch off Marco Jansen. Subsequently, Rohit Sharma’s miscued top edge was safely caught by the wicketkeeper. Naman Dhir fell early too, edging Bhuvneshwar Kumar to first slip in the fifth over. Suddenly, MI’s scoreboard read a troubling 31 for three, risking a collapse.
Then came Suryakumar Yadav, who emerged as MI’s linchpin. His response was a masterclass in aggressive batting, underlined by a striking drive through off Bhuvneshwar early in his innings which set the tone. Partnered by Tilak Varma, who provided steadfast support from one end, Suryakumar found his rhythm. By the end of the Powerplay, MI had clawed back to 52 for three.
Once the field spread, Suryakumar’s batting brilliance shone unimpeded—exploiting Marco Jansen for 22 runs in the seventh over alone, with two remarkable sixes and two emphatic fours. From this point forth, Suryakumar dominated proceedings, allowing no opening to SRH bowlers for a comeback, while Tilak Varma’s calming influence ensured stability at the other end. The highlight reel saw Suryakumar attain his half-century in merely 30 deliveries, and he accelerated further, racing to his next fifty in only 21 balls. The climax of the innings witnessed Suryakumar dispatch T Natarajan for a towering six in the 18th over, sealing a comfortable victory for MI with 16 balls to spare, concurrently marking his century—a performance etched into IPL folklore.