Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav played some outrageous shots en route to his maiden IPL hundred as his stunning knock outshone a superlative all-round show from Rashid Khan to set up Mumbai Indians’ (MI) 27-run win over Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday. Invited to bat, MI posted 218/5 on the back of world No. 1 T20 batter Suryakumar’s 103 not out off just 49 balls and then restricted GT to 191/8 to notch up their seventh win this season.
This was MI’s fourth consecutive 200-plus score on their home ground. While Suryakumar played a blinder, which was studded with 11 fours and six sixes, Rohit Sharma (29), Ishan Kishan (31) and Vishnu Vinod (30) chipped in for the home side. Chasing 219, GT were in danger of being bowled out for a low total, but a brutal unbeaten 79 off just 32 balls from Rashid — which had three fours and 10 sixes — reduced the margin of the defeat drastically.
For MI, Akash Madhwal (4-0-31-3), Kumar Kartikeya (3-0-37-2) and veteran Piyush Chawla (4-0-36-2) shone with the ball. But the indomitable Rashid was simply unstoppable. He followed his superb bowling effort of 4/30 with a stunning show with the bat as he added 88 runs from just 40 balls for the unconquered ninth wicket with Alzarri Joseph (7 not out), but his effort was just not enough. GT’s fourth loss in 12 matches was their first in away games this season.
With eight wins and 16 points, they remained at the top of the table. MI’s seventh win in 12 matches thus took them back to third spot with 14 points and a net run rate of -0.117. GT made the worst possible start. Coming off a fine 81 in his last outing, Wriddhiman Saha played one across the line to be adjudged LBW for 2 off Madhwal, while captain Hardik Pandya (4) was caught behind off Jason Behrendorff in the third over. The in-form Shubman Gill (6) was also beaten by the skiddy pace of Madhwal, who sent the opener’s off-stump cartwheeling.
With the task of rebuilding falling on their shoulders, David Miller made a cautious start while Vijay Shankar unleashed a flurry of fours. After Powerplay, GT had knocked off 48 from their target but a huge blow was dealt by Chawla who got a googly to pass between Shankar’s bat and pad to crash into his wickets. In 14 balls, Shankar did well to hit six fours to make 29. Kartikeya cleaned up Abhinav Manohar (2) next, leaving the visitors reeling at 55/5 inside eight overs. Miller (41 from 26 balls) added 45 runs for the sixth wicket with Rahul Tewatia (14) to help GT stabilise, but could not lead a comeback for his side.
In the 12th over, Madhwal struck again as Miller fell leg-before. In the next over, Tewatia swept one straight to Cameron Green off Chawla at deep square leg. Earlier, India and MI skipper Rohit could not convert his start but appeared to be getting back to his usual self at the crease, hitting a few exquisite shots in his 61-run opening stand in the Powerplay with Kishan (31) to lay the platform for a big total. Rashid, who took his overall wickets tally to 23 to top the bowling chart, jolted MI right after the powerplay to have Rohit caught in the first slip for an 18-ball 29, which included three fours and a couple of sixes.
The second breakthrough came four balls later, with the Afghan leg-spinner trapping Kishan LBW. Rashid continued to make inroads as he had Nehal Wadhera (15) chop one onto his wickets, but MI’s acceleration was enough to take them to 96 for three at halfway mark. Suryakumar and Vishnu then took the attack to Mohammed Shami (0/53), hitting him for 15 runs in the 13th over, after the two batters smacked Joseph for a six each in the 12th. Vishnu perished in the 16th over as he hit a full toss off Mohit Sharma to be dismissed for a fine 30 off 20 balls (2x4s, 2x6s), having put on a 42-ball 65 for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar.
Rashid, however, kept chipping away as he snapped the key wicket of Tim David (5) in the 17th over, taking an easy return catch for his fourth wicket in the game. But Suryakumar continued with his barrage of shots from the other end, hitting Mohit for 20 runs in the 18th over with three fours and a six and brought up his first IPL hundred with a six off the last ball of the innings. In the process, Suryakumar also put on another 54 runs for the sixth wicket with Green (3 not out), which came off only 18 balls.
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