The pattern of games at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium remained intact. The Sunrisers Hyderabad strangled Mumbai Indians to a modest total on a slow track before going on to maintain their all-win record at home with a seven-wicket win.
After Mumbai were restricted to 129 for four, the challenge for the Sunrisers was to ensure they did not slip. Though the home team lost Akshath Reddy early, skipper Kumar Sangakkara (21) ensured stability along with Dhawan (73 not out).The duo played Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha effortlessly, rocking back to play the cuts through the off-side regularly.
Just when it appeared Sangakarra was finding his feet, he popped up a return catch. Dhawan went on to score his second fifty in three games after joining up late because of a
hand fracture.
Mumbai could not be blamed if they assumed they were playing at home. It was almost a full house and there was a lot of blue in the crowd.
And the runs the visitors scored were lustily cheered. The reason was simple - Sachin Tendulkar.
From the time Tendulkar walked out to practice before the game to when he struck Dale Steyn for two boundaries, the crowd appeared to have forgotten its Hyderabad roots.
Mumbai could not be blamed if they assumed they were playing at home. It was almost a full house and there was a lot of blue in the crowd.
And the runs the visitors scored were lustily cheered. The reason was simple - Sachin Tendulkar.
From the time Tendulkar walked out to practice before the game to when he struck Dale Steyn for two boundaries, the crowd appeared to have forgotten its Hyderabad roots.
All that fanfare was short-lived as Tendulkar fell early. An Ishant Sharma delivery kept a tad low and Tendulkar was bowled between bat and pad.
The wicket had variable bounce. While Ishant used change of pace to take a couple of wickets, Steyn's speed made it difficult on the slow wicket. But Mumbai failed to force the pace.