Sunrisers Hyderabad showcased a batting masterclass in an IPL game against Mumbai Indians. Sunrisers posted the highest total ever in the history of IPL with 277 runs for the loss of 3 wickets. 2016 IPL champions defeated the five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians by thirty-one runs to get their first win of the season.
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The Orange Army stepped foot on the ground, intending to make a statement. Interestingly, what unfolded next was sheer carnage. Hardik Pandya, skipper of Mumbai Indians, won the toss, forcing home team SRH to bat first. However, given the pitch and ground conditions, it is nothing less than a batter’s paradise. Mumbai Indians came into this game with a defeat on their backs at the hands of last year’s runners-up, Gujarat Titans. Apart from this, Hardik Pandya, who returned to the MI squad with the captaincy in his name, has been a victim of crowd bullying from IPL fans nationwide.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians 1st Innings
Batting first, Sunrisers Hyderabad started their innings decently. However, from the second over onward, batsmen from both ends were spitting fire from their bats. Travis Head, a name that still gives sleepless nights to all the Indian cricket fans, all thanks to his match-winning performance at the World Cup final, put on a similar show on display. The Australian goliath made 62 runs from 24 balls with nine 4’s and three 6’s. Moreover, Travis’s feisty knock helped SRH post their highest total in the powerplay with 81 runs for the loss of 1 wicket.
However, this led to the Mumbai Indians taking their share of the time-out session right after the end of the power play. However, this did not change the game plans or the outcome for SRH or Mumbai. By the end of 10 overs, Hyderabad was able to put up a score of 148/2, again the highest by any team in the first 10 overs. Abhishek Sharma kept the momentum going and made a quick 16-ball fifty, breaking the record of former SRH skipper David Warner of 20-ball fifty.
In the latter part of the Innings, Klaasen’s performance added salt to the wound, as the South African batsmen scored a Classic innings of 80 of 34 balls with four 4s and seven 6s. By the end of 20 overs, SRH posted a daunting total of 277 with the loss of just 3 wickets.
Second Innings
With 278 to chase in 120 balls, Mumbai Indians went all guns blazing from the first over. The duo of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma went bonkers on all the bowlers. Moreover, with an asking run rate of almost 14 runs per over, Mumbai Indians gave a fitting response. Ishan and Rohit added a glazing total of 56 runs in just over 3 overs. Ishan Kishan’s cameo of 34 runs from 13 balls, which included two 4s and four 6s, ended when he got caught by Makram on the bowling of Shahbaz Ahmed. However, in the fifth over, Pat Cummins got the big fish, Rohit Sharma, scoring at a staggering strike rate of 216.
Next in line, Tilak Verma left no stone unturned as he kept the game alive. The young lad helped MI take the team score to 140 plus in the first 10 overs, Keeping the game balanced. Verma soon reached his half-century in a mere 24 balls as things looked well poised. Mumbai lost their third wicket, and Naman Dhir departed for 30 runs in 13 balls.
Things went dicey when Varma lost his wicket, scoring 64 in 34 balls with two 4s and six 6s. From 11-16 overs, Sunrises made a comeback in the game by gripping a strong hold on the leaks of boundaries and maximums. Once again, a flop show was on the cards from Captain Hardik Pandya as he scored just 24 runs off 20 balls with a strike rate of 120.
Flag End of the Game
In the last four overs, Tim David tried to boost the innings with big hitting, but David could not see through to the end of the match due to a lack of support from the other end. David remained not out on 42 runs in 22 balls. Abhishek Sharma was awarded the Man of the Match for his excellent batting performance. However, other notable performances came from Bumrah, Klaasen, Head, Tim, and many more.
Once again, the post-match discussion point was Hardik Pandya’s strategies and decision-making. A few of the prominent ones are
- Why was Jasprit Bumrah given just 1 over until 13 overs?
- The DRS decisions for wide balls and no balls. Was it worth it?
One thing this game will be remembered for is the no of records it has broken, not just in IPL but in T20 worldwide. It is the first game in the history of T20 cricket where over 500 runs were scored in a match. Also, it is the highest team total in the history of IPL, surpassing the long-standing record of 263 from RCB. The number of sixes in a T20 game is the highest, i.e., thirty-eight.
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Next, the Mumbai Indians will play against the Rajasthan Royals on 1st April in Wankhede, Mumbai. However, Sunrisers Hyderabad will face the Gujarat Titans in Narendra Modi Stadium, Gujarat, on 31st March.
