Mumbai Indians are back on track. The five-time champions have strung together four consecutive wins to bounce back from a slow start and climb into the top four. The most recent victory came at the home ground of last year’s finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, whose batting struggles continued. Heinrich Klaasen played a lone hand, scoring 71 (44), but his efforts couldn’t prevent the hosts from falling short. MI chased down SRH’s total of 143/8 in the 16th over, with Rohit Sharma’s brilliant 70 (46) leading the charge. This was SRH’s third home loss of the season.
The game was decided as SRH faltered in key moments, particularly during the PowerPlay. Their batters lacked the confidence and skill to tackle the intelligent swing bowling of Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, quickly losing four wickets. In contrast, MI dominated their PowerPlay, scoring 56/1 with a run-rate of 9.34, more than double SRH’s score, and hitting 6 fours and 3 sixes compared to SRH’s 1 four and 1 six. This early dominance set the tone for the rest of the game and ensured an easy chase.
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SRH’s Nightmarish Start as PowerPlay Collapse Sets the Tone for Another Disastrous Innings
Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered another disastrous start to the game. Travis Head was dismissed for a golden duck in just the second over, as Trent Boult’s delivery shaped away from the left-hander, leading to a mishit that was caught by Naman Dhir at deep backward point. Abhishek Sharma briefly steadied the ship with a six in the same over, but the chaos continued soon after. In the next over from Deepak Chahar, Ishan Kishan assumed he had edged one down the leg side and walked off, despite MI players being uncertain about the appeal or a possible review. A brief moment of sportsmanship followed when Hardik Pandya patted Kishan for his decision, but replays later revealed there was no nick.
SRH’s collapse deepened as Boult struck again, this time deceiving Abhishek Sharma with a knuckleball, which was lofted straight to the cover fielder. Nitish Reddy’s poor form persisted, as he was dismissed trying to clear the infield, caught by Mitchell Santner at mid-on, handing Chahar his second wicket. Heinrich Klaasen and Aniket Varma were left to salvage what they could, guiding SRH to a dismal 24/4 at the end of the PowerPlay— their worst start of the season.
Heinrich Klaasen Leads the Fightback with a Brilliant Knock
After a strong start, Chahar was brought back right after the PowerPlay and finished with remarkable figures of 2 for 12. Mitchell Santner also bowled well, and Hardik Pandya dismissed Aniket Varma, leaving SRH in further trouble. At 35/5, SRH had no choice but to roll the dice and bring in an impact substitute. Out came Abhinav Manohar, who combined with Klaasen in a 99-run partnership to help SRH avoid the embarrassment of a sub-100 total.
Klaasen sparked SRH’s recovery with a dynamic over against spinner Vignesh Puthur, smashing two sixes and a four. That 15-run over was followed by another strong one, worth 16 runs, from Hardik, with Klaasen finding the boundaries through covers and third man. Manohar was slow to get going at the other end, though he managed to loft Bumrah for a six over extra cover. Santner did well to keep the runs in check, conceding only 10 off his three overs during this period. Klaasen soon reached his half-century off just 34 balls, leading SRH’s fightback with an impressive display of power hitting.
Klaasen Pushes but MI Wrap Up the Innings Well
Mitchell Santner finished with impressive figures of 0/19 from his four overs, but SRH still had a chance to capitalize on the death overs. Klaasen and Manohar each struck a four off Bumrah in the 17th over, while Manohar took advantage of Hardik Pandya in the 18th. However, Bumrah’s experience and clever bowling came to the fore in the 19th over, where he delivered a brilliant spell. Although Klaasen hit a six off the fifth ball, Bumrah managed to dismiss the South African on the final delivery, leaving SRH at 134/6. That over and wicket were pivotal, as it could have been the difference between a sub-par total and one that might have been mildly competitive.
Boult, however, kept the pressure on in the final over, picking up two more wickets while conceding just nine runs. As a result, SRH were restricted to 143/8, a total MI would comfortably chase down.
Rohit and MI Set the Pace Early in the Chase
Chasing a target of 144, Pat Cummins took the new ball as the option of bringing Mohammed Shami into the attack from the impact substitutes wasn’t available anymore. Neither Cummins nor the other quicks were able to get the ball to move as effectively as Chahar and Boult had in the PowerPlay, and they paid the price for it. Jaydev Unadkat did manage to take a superb one-handed return catch to dismiss Ryan Rickelton in the second over, but SRH failed to build on that breakthrough.
MI’s resurgence seemed to coincide with Rohit Sharma returning to form, as he attacked Cummins and Unadkat in two overs that yielded 30 runs. Harshal Patel bowled a tight fifth over, but Eshan Malinga was hit for two successive fours by Jacks in the sixth. The partnership between Rohit and Jacks put MI firmly on course to chase down the modest target with ease.
Rohit Continues His Form as MI Cruise Towards Victory
For the first time since 2016, Rohit Sharma recorded back-to-back IPL fifties as MI powered through the middle overs in their chase. Zeeshan Ansari briefly halted their progress with the wicket of Will Jacks, but Suryakumar Yadav quickly joined Rohit and resumed the flow of runs. SRH struggled to pick wickets in quick succession, allowing MI to maintain control.
By the time Eshan Malinga had Rohit caught at mid-wicket, the MI captain had scored 70, leaving just 14 runs needed for victory. Suryakumar then wrapped up the chase in the 16th over with two quick fours off Ansari, sealing the win for MI.
What’s Next for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians?
SRH have little time to dwell on their performance as they travel to Chennai for a match against fellow strugglers CSK on Friday. Meanwhile, MI will return home, aiming for their fifth consecutive win when they face LSG in the Sunday afternoon fixture.
FAQs
How did Mumbai Indians perform in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad?
Mumbai Indians made a strong comeback, winning four consecutive matches, including a comfortable chase of 144 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, thanks to a brilliant 70 from Rohit Sharma.
What was SRH’s worst start in the game against Mumbai Indians?
Sunrisers Hyderabad struggled early, losing four wickets in the PowerPlay, with their worst PowerPlay score of the season at 24/4.
Who was the key performer for SRH during their fightback?
Heinrich Klaasen led SRH’s fightback, scoring a quick 71 off 44 balls, including a brilliant partnership with Abhinav Manohar to lift the team’s total to 143/8.
How did MI’s bowlers perform in the match?
MI’s bowlers, particularly Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, were excellent in the PowerPlay, setting up the victory by restricting SRH early and picking crucial wickets.
What was the turning point in Mumbai Indians’ chase?
Rohit Sharma’s back-to-back IPL fifties and a steady partnership with Suryakumar Yadav ensured MI’s smooth chase, with MI completing the target in just 16 overs.
