Mumbai Indians put up a solid batting performance to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final IPL league match at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday but were left to hope for a Gujarat Titans victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore later in Bengaluru.
After SRH did well to post 200, MI needed one of their batters to play a blinder. Cameron Green was MI's hero. On a batting paradise, he blazed away to an unbeaten 100 (47b, 8x4, 8x6) to set up an eight-wicket win to keep his side alive till the last league game.
With one run to win and one to get his century, Green pushed the last ball of the 18th over to midwicket for a single. He shared in a 128-run partnership (66 balls) with captain Rohit Sharma (56 – 37b, 8x4, 1x6) for the second wicket and an unfinished 53-run association (30b) with Suryakumar Yadav (25*- 16b). It helped MI finish on 16 points, leaving RCB in a must-win situation against table-toppers and champions GT.
MI needed to win by much more than the two overs they eventually did to seal qualification ahead of the RCB-GT game. As things stood at the end of the SRH innings, the hosts had to accomplish the chase in 11.4 overs to take over RCB's net run rate (0.180). After 11.4 overs, MI were only on 127/1.
CHASE MASTERS
{{/usCountry}}MI needed to win by much more than the two overs they eventually did to seal qualification ahead of the RCB-GT game. As things stood at the end of the SRH innings, the hosts had to accomplish the chase in 11.4 overs to take over RCB's net run rate (0.180). After 11.4 overs, MI were only on 127/1.
CHASE MASTERS
{{/usCountry}}The MI camp were delighted when Rohit Sharma won the toss because it gave them the opportunity to chase, which has been their strength. Things though didn’t go as per the plan. The pitch was beautiful for batting and once SRH posted 200, MI’s best option was to focus on winning the game and forget about the RCB scenario.
That’s what Rohit focussed on. After losing opening partner Ishan Kishan early, he looked to consolidate while Green came out firing on all cylinders. Going at a run rate of 10.42, the 50 of their partnership was up in 25 balls with Green scoring 42 of those runs (14b, 4x4, 4x6).
The Australia all-rounder smashed the first two balls he faced for fours and targetted pacer Kartik Tyagi’s final over of the powerplay to hit a six and two fours, powering MI to 60/1 after six overs -- Green on 30/10 balls and Rohit on 15/15 balls.
With the platform set for the chase, Rohit also opened up. Playing his first game after sitting out for five matches, SRH fast bowler Umran Malik got targetted by his India captain. The MI opener pulled him for four the first ball he faced off him and in his following over smashed three successive fours. It took him past 11,000 runs in T20 cricket.
Green brought up a 20-ball fifty with a slog sweep off part-timer Virant Sharma. MI’s 100 came in nine overs and the 100 of the partnership was up in 51 balls.
Their partnership was finally broken at the total of 148 in the 14th over courtesy a brilliant catch by Nitish Kumar at point to dismiss Rohit. Yadav joined Green and they finished the game in a hurry.
MADHWAL’S DEATH BOWLING
Akash Madhwal played a crucial role for MI in bowling after SRH had got off to their best start of the season with openers Mayank Agarwal (83 –46b, 8x4, 4x6) and Vivrant Sharma (69 – 47b, 9x4, 2x6) raising a 140-run partnership. The pacer first provided MI the breakthrough with the wicket of Vivrant.
Still, at 168/1 after 16 overs, SRH were on course for a total of 220-plus. But Madhwal and Chris Jordan combined to pull things back with three overs (17th, 18th and 19th) of six runs each while sharing four wickets.
Madhwal's scalps included those of the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen, Glenn Phillips and top-scorer Agarwal.