In a captivating display of cricket, the Mumbai Indians (MI) thrilled their fans at the Wankhede Stadium with a commanding seven-wicket triumph over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This victory marked MI’s fourth success in the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, largely thanks to an outstanding century by Suryakumar Yadav, alongside crucial assistance from Tilak Varma during the chase.
As is often the norm in the TATA IPL 2024, MI won the toss and decided to field first, taking on SRH’s formidable batting lineup. Introducing right-arm medium pacer Anshul Kamboj into their squad, MI aimed to fortify their bowling attack. SRH, on the other hand, reinstated the seasoned Mayank Agarwal to strengthen their batting order.
Opening for SRH, the duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma launched an aggressive assault during the powerplay, finding boundaries with regular ease. However, the drama unfolded in the fifth over when Kamboj was introduced into the attack. Head appeared in attacking form, smashing a six off Kamboj’s second delivery. But the turn of events saw Head being bowled, only for the dismissal to be nullified due to a no-ball. Taking full advantage, Head treated the free-hit with a boundary, followed by another four. MI’s first breakthrough came courtesy of Jasprit Bumrah, who trapped Abhishek Sharma (11 off 16 balls) with a catch behind just before the powerplay concluded.
In the eighth over, the newly introduced Kamboj bowled out Mayank Agarwal, adding another critical scalp to MI’s tally. Throughout the innings, SRH struggled to maintain partnerships after their initial opening stand of 56 runs. Despite multiple batsmen getting ideal starts, converting those into substantial scores proved elusive. MI’s spirits lifted when Head was dismissed for 48 runs in the 12th over, which turned the game in their favor. At one point, SRH faltered to 136 for eight in the 17th over, prompting them to inject Sanvir Singh as an impact player.
SRH found a glimmer of hope through Pat Cummins’ late onslaught, as his unbeaten 35 off a mere 17 deliveries, featuring two sixes and two fours, propelled SRH past the 170-mark.
. Cummins managed to stitch a critical 37-run partnership for the last wicket, granting SRH a defendable total of 173. The spirited finish gave SRH’s bowlers a semblance of hope, particularly since a similar total was defended recently against MI at this same venue. Leading MI’s bowling effort, captain Hardik Pandya claimed three wickets for 31 runs, with Piyush Chawla playing a pivotal role as well, capturing three for 33.
Daunting yet achievable, MI’s run chase embarked on a strong note as openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma quickly amassed 26 runs within the first two overs. However, SRH struck back, dismissing Ishan as he nicked a slip catch off Marco Jansen. In the fourth over, Rohit top-edged a catch to the wicketkeeper. MI faced a further setback when Naman Dhir edged one to the first slip off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s delivery in the fifth over, leaving MI in a precarious position at 31 for three.
The match tilted dramatically as Suryakumar Yadav showcased his attacking prowess and defensive resolve. Taking charge, he dispatched an authoritative drive for four off Bhuvneshwar early in his innings. Tilak Varma joined the fireworks, taking on Cummins in the sixth over. Concluding the powerplay, MI found themselves at 52 for three.
The spread field did little to deter Suryakumar, as he tore into Marco Jansen’s seventh over, plundering 22 runs with two towering sixes and two crisp fours. From then on, it was a one-man show as Suryakumar dominated the proceedings, leaving SRH bowlers reeling without an answer. With Tilak ably anchoring one end, Suryakumar unleashed a flurry of exquisite shots that delighted the MI spectators.
Suryakumar’s fifty came off a brisk 30 balls, and what followed was an electrifying sprint to his second fifty in just 21 deliveries, showcasing a masterclass in T20 aggression. The victory was sealed emphatically when Suryakumar dispatched a T Natarajan delivery over the ropes for a six in the 18th over, not only completing his century but also leading MI to a comfortable win.
The Mumbai Indians emerged victorious with 16 balls to spare, with Suryakumar standing as the undoubted star of the match, etching another memorable century into his IPL career.