Suryakumar Yadav scored an unbeaten century to propel the Mumbai Indians to a resounding seven-wicket win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the latest IPL showdown on Wednesday.
Despite a shaky start that saw Mumbai at 31-3, Suryakumar combined forces with Tilak Varma to guide their team to victory with a commendable 143-run partnership, ultimately reaching the target with 16 balls to spare at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium.
Suryakumar's stunning knock of 102 came off just 51 balls with twelve boundaries and six 6s.
In the aftermath of Suryakumar's spectacular performance, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya couldn't help but commend his star player, saying, "SKY was unbelievable." He added, "More than him getting runs, him putting so much pressure on bowlers that even other batters get loose balls. He breaks you. Lucky to have him in my team."
However, despite Mumbai's dominant display, their position at ninth in the 10-team table may signal a late surge in the tournament approaching its decisive phase. On the other hand, the defeat for Hyderabad, currently placed fourth in the standings under the leadership of Pat Cummins, could significantly dent their prospects of making it to the playoffs, having suffered their fifth loss of the season.
Reflecting on the upcoming challenges, Cummins remained optimistic about Hyderabad's prospects, saying, "We like playing at home, done well there so far. Looking forward to what's ahead of us. Hopefully a few more fireworks."
Earlier in the match, Hyderabad had posted a competitive total of 173-8, with Travis Head's solid knock of 48 and a crucial unbeaten 35 by Cummins providing a boost to their innings after a faltering start. The partnership between Pandya and Piyush Chawla, who both claimed three wickets each, played a pivotal role in restricting Hyderabad's scoring rate during the middle overs.
In response, Mumbai Indians weathered an early storm, with Suryakumar taking charge with his aggressive stroke play to register his second IPL century in just 51 balls.
Varma's contribution of 37 runs further bolstered Mumbai's chase as they comfortably reached the target set by Hyderabad, securing a crucial victory in their IPL campaign.
(AFP)
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