Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma turned 30 on Saturday and couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present. His team subdued Gujarat Lions in a brilliant super over, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, to consolidate the No. 2 spot in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 points table.
“A good birthday present. First time part of the Super Over, something new for us. We got a good start, wicket was always going to get slower,” Rohit said after the win. (MI vs GL: IPL T20 HIGHLIGHTS)
Gujarat Lions scored 153/9 and then dismissed Mumbai Indians for the same score to tie the match, which was finally decided in the super over. Krunal Pandya had earlier taken 3/14 for MI. He also scored a crucial 20-ball 29 in the chase.
“Gujarat stuck to their plans and kept us guessing. Hats off to Krunal to be there, and finish, not finish the game, but hang around. We never had long partnerships going,” Rohit said.
{{/usCountry}}“Gujarat stuck to their plans and kept us guessing. Hats off to Krunal to be there, and finish, not finish the game, but hang around. We never had long partnerships going,” Rohit said.
{{/usCountry}}“Previous game doesn’t matter too much. We never expected wicket to be so slow. Momentum plays a crucial part in this format. We’ve got great talent and about playing to our potential.”
All-rounder Krunal
Man of the Match Krunal was also ecstatic after the win. “I feel I’m an allrounder, to contribute with bat, ball and in the field. The wicket wasn’t easy, that you go in and hit big shots straightaway,” he said.
“When it was two ball, two runs, I tried for a big shot, but I had a chat with Malinga that I’ll not go for a big shot.”
Raina lauds Bumrah
Losing captain Suresh Raina had some nice words for Bumrah: “Yes, my heart is fine. Very exciting game. Bumrah bowled a very good over. With that reverse swing and accuracy, you can’t do much.
“The wicket was pretty slow and we tried hard. We lost a couple of wickets up front but we bowled well. We came back really strongly, despite losing Tye. Honestly, we didn’t put up a good score. All credit to the bowlers for bringing us back. I haven’t seen Tye’s injury yet.”
Stay updated with the latest IPL Live Score and get exclusive insights with the IPL Match Today, IPL Points Table match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and IPL Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.
Stay updated with the latest IPL Live Score and get exclusive insights with the IPL Match Today, IPL Points Table match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and IPL Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.