In a match that could rival any in terms of overall hitting pedigree, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians served up a feast which the former eventually clinched by 31 runs. In all a total of 38 sixes (the most in a T20 game) were hit across forty overs and as many as 523 runs (the most in a T20 game) scored in a match for the ages at Hyderabad.
What happened there?
Carnage all around, a party spoilt and many a record broken.
First up Travis Head, coming in for Marco Jansen, set the tone as he smashed a 18-ball fifty inside the powerplay. It became the fastest-fifty for SRH in IPL history. Head was brutal on anything short of length and was offered plenty of it as Mumbai Indians erred frequently. The powerplay went for 81 runs as SRH started entering the record books.
Abhishek overtakes Head
If Head was ruthless against the pacers upfront, Abhishek Sharma was merciless against the bowlers to follow. First he would go after Piyush Chawla and then after the 17-year-old debutant Kwen Maphaka who was hit for 20 in a single over. The youngster would finish with unflattering figures of 0/66 in his four overs but could take heart in the fact that none of the more accomplished bowlers were spared either. Abhishek’s blitz was so hard that he ended up breaking Head’s record for the quickest fifty for SRH in IPL, getting there in just 16 balls. After 10 overs, SRH’s total of 148 was the highest ever by any team in IPL at the halfway mark.
Klaasen, Markram break more records
Mumbai Indians held back Jasprit Bumrah even as SRH piled up 173 in just 12 overs. Bumrah had bowled only one over until then and they hoped to match him up better against Heinrich Klaasen at the back-end. It worked to an extent as Bumrah went for ‘only’ 9 an over. But as much as he was the standout on a flat batting beauty, it meant that there was no room to hide for any of the other bowlers. The in-form Klaasen spared none of the pacers even as he broke free, and finished it up with a 21-run over bowled by the spinner Shams Mulani to finish the innings. Klaasen remained unbeaten on 80 in a 116-run stand with Aiden Markram. With that SRH had racked up the highest-ever franchise T20 score of 277.
After SRH recorded the highest-ever IPL total, Mumbai Indians mounted a firm challenge in the chase.
Openers set the tone
Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma put on 56 in just 3.2 overs to give Mumbai Indians the perfect start as they took a shot at glory. Kishan hit four sixes and two fours in his 13 balls before falling to Shahbaz Ahmed. Sharma took on Pat Cummins, flicking him for a six, but fell pulling him next ball to give SRH a boost.
Tilak Varma leads the way
Through the middle overs, Tilak Varma took it upon himself to keep the momentum going. Along with a fluent Naman Dhir, he added 84 in just 37 balls. That partnership set the chase up once again as Mumbai Indians started to give SRH something to think about seriously.
A chase that fizzles out
As the innings progressed, the track began to favour the bowlers who managed to take the pace off the ball. Both Cummins and Jaydev Unadkat exploited this to perfection. With MI needing 68 in the last three overs and a well-set Tim David still there alongside Hqrdik Pandya, the chase was still on. However, the pace duo managed to get the better of them by taking the pace off to give SRH a memorable win.
Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 277/3 (Heinrich Klaasen 80, Abhishek Sharma 63, Travis Head 62) beat Mumbai Indians 246/5 (Tilak Varma 64, Tim David 42) by 31.
