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Chasing a huge target of 277 runs, five-time IPL title winners Mumbai Indians lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by a 31 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on 27 March.
Both the openers Rohit Sharma (26) and Ishan Kishan (34) gave a good start, whose momentum was kept alive by Naman Dhir (30) and Tilak Varma (64). However, after Tilak, MI’s run rate dropped. With Tim David* (42) and Romario Shepherd* (15) trying to give a last push, Mumbai Indians scored only 246/5, and lost by 31 runs.
For SRH, Jaidev Unadkat and Pat Cummins picked two wickets each, while Shahbaz Ahmed clinched one. With this, SRH registered its first victory in ongoing IPL tournament.
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SRH’s Abhishek Sharma was announced the player of the match.
In this match, a total of 38 SIXes were hit and a total of 523 runs were scored. Apart from this, for both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indian, it was their highest individual score in IPL history.
Earlier in the day, despite losing the toss against Mumbai Indians, Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad gave a HUGE target for the guests to chase in Hyderabad, as they scored 277 runs by losing only 3 wickets. Now, MI had to score 278 to win.
For Sunrisers, Travis Head (63) and Abhishek Sharma (63) gave an explosive start. Head completed his half-century in 18 balls, while Abhishek Sharma hit his half-century in 16 deliveries.
After this due, the Proteas duo – Heinrich Klassen (80*) and Aiden Markram (41*) – led the SRH to score the highest total in IPL history. Klassen scored his half century in just 23 deliveries.
For Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya, Gerald Coetzee and Piyush Chawla picked one wickets each.
Earlier Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians and Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad are facing off each other at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday from 7:30 pm onwards. Mumbai Indians’ skipper Hardik Pandya has won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Both these teams had lost their opening games to Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively and would be aiming to get on the winning track.
In their last game, Mumbai Indians faced off against Hardik Pandya’s former side, the Gujarat Titans and eventually found themselves lacking with the bat after being unable to chase down a total of 169 runs. Sunrisers, on the other hand, had got surprisingly close to the mammoth total of 209 runs set by KKR but eventually fell short by 4 runs in the end.
In the IPL a similar spectacle unfolded in 2013 when Chris Gayle unleashed a ballistic performance, pulverising the Pune Warriors bowlers across every corner of the Chinnaswamy stadium. Gayle’s remarkable 175 not out off 66 deliveries propelled RCB to a formidable total of 263/5.
That remained the highest total in the IPL for close to 11 years before SRH scaled the peak. This time, however, it wasn’t a one-man show, or even a one-team show for that matter. The distinction between the powerplay and the death overs became hazy amidst the batting onslaught. It seemed as though the powerplay never truly concluded, or that the death overs commenced right from the start of the match.
David Warner has been the primary figure on SRH’s list of fastest fifties, having jointly struck their quickest (off 20 balls) alongside Moises Henriques. Until Wednesday (March 27), Warner had notched seven out of the ten fastest fifties for SRH.
However, even before the halfway mark of the first innings in Match 8 of IPL 2024, two batters had already overtaken the former SRH opener.
Travis Head kick-started the innings with a blazing fifty off only 18 balls, and this was just the opening act. SRH raced past the 100-run mark in seven overs as Head relentlessly attacked the MI bowlers. The onslaught continued with Abhishek Sharma, the 23-year-old left-hander, who was matching Head shot for shot.
Despite Head’s dismissal, MI’s hopes of tightening the game faded as Abhishek swiftly surpassed him to claim the title of the fastest half-centurion for SRH, achieving the feat in a mere 16 deliveries. A staggering 148 runs were amassed in the first 10 overs, setting yet another IPL record.
Abhishek eventually fell for 63, his runs coming at a massive strike rate of 273.91, marginally quicker than Head’s 258.33 for his 62. And then came Klaasen and did Klaasen things – 80 not out off only 34 balls, striking at 235.29, reaching fifty in 23 balls, and providing the grand finish which propelled SRH to a record total.
Such was the performance of the trio that Aiden Markram’s unbeaten 42 off 28 almost went unnoticed. As many as 18 sixes were hit in the SRH innings, seven each by Abhishek and Klaasen. Spare a thought for the MI bowlers.
It wasn’t any easy for the SRH bowlers too. After an opening partnership of 56 between Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan in just 3.2 overs, and sustained hitting by Tilak Varma (64 off 34) and Naman Dhir following the openers’ departure, MI reached 141/2 in 10 overs, trailing SRH by just seven runs at that point.
With Tim David taking charge in the latter part of the innings, SRH found themselves constantly under pressure. MI outperformed SRH in terms of six-hitting, notching 20 maximums along with 12 fours. The total of 38 sixes struck in this game also set a new record in a T20 match.
Just as the film industry has witnessed a trend of featuring massive guns, the IPL has now set a new benchmark. Teams now have enhanced hitting prowess and with the introduction of the impact substitute, they can pack their lineups with a lot of power. This match could be indicative of what lies ahead in the tournament.
