MUMBAI ACES ‘SUN’ DAY TEST
SHARJAH: Quinton de Kock was back among the runs with a sizzling 39-ball 67 before the bowlers did a commendable job in a batsmen-friendly Sharjah Stadium as Mumbai Indians (MI) registered a 34-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 here on Sunday.
The hard-hitting duo of Hardik Pandya (28) and Kieron Pollard (25 not out) scored at a brisk pace, but it was Krunal Pandya who propelled MI to 208 for five with 20 runs off a mere four deliveries in the last over. Then, the Mumbai bowlers did just enough to restrict SRH to 174 for seven.
Chasing 209, SRH was off to a decent start. But, Jonny Bairstow made his way back to the pavilion after a 15-ball 23. His partner and captain David Warner (60 off 44) did get the better of spinners Rahul Chahar and Krunal, but fell at an important juncture.
When the southpaw was dismissed by his compatriot James
Pattinson in the 16th over, SRH’s hopes of chasing the target down faded away. None of the other Hyderabad batters made more than 30 runs and that led to the team’s downfall. For MI, fast bowlers Trent Boult (2/28), Pattinson (2/29) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/41) got two wickets apiece.
Earlier, wicketkeeper-batsman de Kock roared back to form, smashing four fours and the same number of sixes during his 67-run knock. It is to be noted that the South African was far from his best in Mumbai’s first four matches of the ongoing season.
Suryakumar Yadav (27), Ishan Kishan (31), Hardik and Pollard chipped in with 20+ runs each as Mumbai crossed the 200-run mark. Sandeep Sharma (2/41) and Siddarth Kaul (2/64) scalped two each for Hyderabad.
Brief scores: Mumbai Indians 208 for 5 in 20 overs (Q de Kock 67, S Sharma 2/41, S Kaul 2/64) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 174 for 7 in 20 overs (D Warner 60, T Boult 2/28, J Pattinson 2/29, J Bumrah 2/41)