The defending champions Mumbai Indians recorded their second win in a row and placed atop the 2020 IPL points table, after beating SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 34 runs in a high-scoring contest at the cricket stadium. from Sharjah on Sunday. Chasing 209 to win, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow got their team off to a good start, adding 34 runs in the first four overs. Trent Boult broke the partnership by sending Bairstow back to the pavilion on the fifth change. Warner and Manish Pandey hit intentionally and didn’t let the required running speed get out of reach. However, just when the game was up for grabs, James Pattison dumped Manish Pandey in the 10th to derail his chase. From there, Warner fought like a lone warrior as none of SRH’s hitters gave him enough support from the other end. Warner, the most successful foreign hitter in IPL history, completed his first half century of the season, scoring 60 of 44 balls, but was unable to get his team across the finish line.
With three wins from five games, Mumbai is tied on points with Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who have played one game less. Mumbai ‘s higher net execution rate has helped them climb to the top of the points table, for at least a day, when RCB takes on Delhi on Tuesday.
Previously, Quinton de Kock scored his first fifty of the season when the Mumbai Indians posted a formidable 208/5 in 20 overs. De Kock, struggling to stay in shape before this game, announced his arrival with a well-crafted 67 of 39 balls, providing a solid platform for emerging hitters like Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard.
After deciding to hit, the Mumbai Indians suffered a severe blow as they lost their boss Rohit Sharma cheaply in the first over. Rohit started brilliantly pulling Sandeep Sharma over the midwicket for a six, but fell on the next delivery after he tried to go for a wide delivery.
After his departure, De Kock teamed up with Suryakumar Yadav (27 of 18 balls) and hit sensibly and added 42 runs for the second wicket, without taking undue risks. Siddarth Kaul hit the penultimate installment of the Powerplay to break the association.
Ishan Kishan came out at bat at No. 4 and laid the solid foundation by batting alongside the South African captain. Continuing his good form, Ishan Kishan scored 31 of 23 balls, with the help of a four and two maximums.
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The SRH bowlers removed the things, both pulling them out in quick succession. De Kock skied one high in the air and Rashid Khan took a brilliant catch from his own bowling alley, while Manish Pandey made a flying catch near the ropes to finish Ishan’s innings.
It was a tailor-made condition for the Mumbai Indians’ heavy hitters Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, and they did not disappoint, delivering to all parts of the field. Hardik came out in the final after a 28 of 19 balls and was replaced by his older brother Krunal Pandya in the fold. With just four deliveries remaining, Krunal fired from all his guns and smashed 20 of just four balls to lead the Mumbai Indians to more than 200 runs.
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