At one point in the Mumbai Indians’ pursuit, it appeared that 174 was out of their grasp. They lost Ishan Kishan (9) Rohit Sharma (4) and Naman Dhir (0) as they went 20 deliveries without scoring a score at the start of the Powerplay. It was starting to become a really bad start to a terrible season. When the season started, there were no signs of the team that appeared to be championship contenders. Both Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav made a pitiful show as they lived perilous lives, waiting for their campaigns to finish before leaving.
However, an hour later, when Suryakumar was able to regain his rhythm, they gave their supporters—as well as those of a few other teams—enough hope to make Sunrisers Hyderabad falter. Suryakumar counterattacked as Hyderabad’s new ball bowlers, Pat Cummins, Marco Jansen, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, came in hard to get wickets. Suryakumar and Varma’s 50-run partnership came in just 28 deliveries, which is an incredible improvement from their Powerplay form. Mumbai were 84/3 midway through the chase when Hyderabad gave up just 10 runs in three overs.
After that, Suryakumar was the only one in control of the evening. It was a timely knock that would have helped a batsman who was injured far into the IPL season restore confidence. It would have also been very beneficial if Jansen had fed him deliveries within his arc that early in his innings. Suryakumar began to release his arms against Jansen after using his luck to get a boundary and six against Bhuvneshwar and Cummins. His intent was evident in his second six, as he stepped across and lofted the ball over fine-leg. And with Jansen back, he was able to open up again after a lengthy slump in which he only managed two boundaries between the seventh and thirteenth overs.
He was limping a little by now too. Surykumar scored 43 runs, including two boundaries and a six, off the final 18 balls he faced while limiting the number of singles and twos. He did this by pulling strokes off of Cummins’ three consecutive slower deliveries. Mumbai’s victory was completed with a six from Natarjan, who also reached his century. Hyderabad’s net run rate suffered greatly as a result of the 143-run stand, which saw Varma remain undefeated at 37.
Excavating their own tomb
Hyderabad has a lot to consider following the loss. These days, especially when using the bat, they appear a little short in balance. Everyone was watching to see how Hyderabad would use their resources to the fullest before the season started. They not only had a very deep roster, but they also had an abundance of options when it came to selecting their four abroad players. When Wanindu Hasaranga had an injury and had to leave, they didn’t panic. The fact that Glenn Phillips, a versatile player who could have easily fit into any lineup due to his versatility, has not yet featured for Hyderabad this season should serve as a clear indication of how many options the team has.
But Hyderabad is starting to show symptoms of panicking as the competition nears its conclusion and they are vying with clubs like Chennai and Lucknow for a play-off berth. They paired Abhishek Sharma with the Australian after beginning with Mayank Agarwal and Travis Head. Hyderabad started the pattern of huge totals against Mumbai.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the play-off berth, it will be interesting to watch Hyderabad’s future developments. It was unexpected when they dropped Aiden Markram. With a hitting lineup that isn’t lacking in tools for showing intent, Markram’s removal eliminates the batting depth needed to adopt a risk-taking strategy. Furthermore, they lack a spinner when the pitches start to slow down, and Mayank Markande—who is frequently an impact player—is not in the picture. There was also a tinge of desperation in the fact that they brought in Sanvir Singh as the Impact Player at No. 9.
Marco Jansen came in as Hyderabad lost their fourth wicket at the Wankhede. If Mumbai’s attack and fielding had been more consistent, they could have prevented Hyderabad from scoring 173 runs when Abdul Samad, Pat Cummins, and Shahbaz Ahmed came on. In later games, even with Markram present, their pursuit had stalled as soon as their top three struggled. However, as they proceed, they find themselves in a situation where they must carefully examine their resources. At number three, Mayank Agarwal hardly exudes confidence.
Hyderabad’s batters had a fortunate night as Head opened with two boundaries from an inside edge that just missed the woodwork. Then, on 24, he was dismissed for a no-ball by rookie Anshul Kamboj. Before Piyush Chawla entered the field and had Head caught at deep square-leg for 48, Nuwan Thushara had dropped him at third man on 45. The typical aim that Hyderabad was known for vanished after that. Despite falling well short of a par total, Cummins’ undefeated 35 was a major factor in their 173/8 total.
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