A good indicator of where you stand as a team is how the opponents feel ahead of the contest. At the moment, Mumbai Indians can claim to have built that ambience where the opposition feels the pressure even before stepping on the turf. Chennai Super Kings were vying for the tag with Mumbai till last season but they have turned up short this year. And while Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore are playing top notch cricket, they don’t match the aura the four-time winners exude.
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At Sharjah, on Sunday evening, Sunrisers Hyderabad knew they would have to toil. David Warner’s team fought gamely but the difference in quality stood out as Rohit Sharma led his team to a 34-run win to go top of the table. Mumbai Indians have started to stand out with smart planning and good execution. It was again on display in their bowling performance at the short boundaries of the stadium. Trent Boult was the pick of the bowlers with his wide yorkers and slower ball bouncers as they easily defended their total of 208 for five.
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He was well supported by James Pattinson and Jasprit Bumrah. All three pacers shared two wickets apiece. MI’s total was built around Quinton de Kock’s 39-ball 67. But the final momentum was provided by Krunal Pandya, who with 20 off the last four balls of the innings, took the target beyond 200.
{{/usCountry}}He was well supported by James Pattinson and Jasprit Bumrah. All three pacers shared two wickets apiece. MI’s total was built around Quinton de Kock’s 39-ball 67. But the final momentum was provided by Krunal Pandya, who with 20 off the last four balls of the innings, took the target beyond 200.
{{/usCountry}}For Sunrisers, Warner waged a lone battle with 60 off 44 balls. But, to take the game to Mumbai, the left-handed opener needed good support from the senior players Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey and Kane Williamson. Boult and Pattinson however ensured that Warner didn’t get to build a big partnership with any of them.
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Boult picked up Bairstow and Williamson with a clever exhibition of change of pace while Pattinson got rid of Pandey. Bairstow had started well by racing away to 25 but the canny left-arm pacer came round the wicket and forced the opener to drag his short, slower ball to the fielder at deep square-leg to break the opening partnership at 34. Later, Boult enticed Williamson into following a slower bouncer and almost guiding it into the wicketkeeper’s hand for the innings’ third wicket at the total of 116.
That was the turning point after Sunrisers had covered some ground scoring big off Mumbai Indians’ two spinners. Off the ninth over, bowled by Rahul Chahar, they took 16 runs to move to 86 for one at a run rate of 9.55. Warner then took 10 runs off the first three balls of the innings 11thover, bowled by Krunal, for a 15-run over. The Australian opener continued to score freely but a spectacular, diving catch by Ishan Kishan ended his innings at 60 (44 balls) in the 16th over. With Bumrah to bowl two of the last four overs, it was the end of the contest.