Mumbai Indians (MI) ensured their mentor Sachin Tendulkar won't remember his 45th birthday too fondly with a horror defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Tuesday.
Mumbai Indians (MI) ensured their mentor Sachin Tendulkar won't remember his 45th birthday too fondly with a horror defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Tuesday.
SRH, having beaten the defending champions earlier in the tournament, came into the match with no prior success at the Wankhede Stadium. At the halfway stage, it seemed their record would stand as they were shot out for IPL 2018's lowest score -- 118.
MI, however, had other plans. In an inexplicable outing with the bat, the hosts got bowled out for 87 to lose by 31 runs. This was their fifth loss in six games this season.
MI were pegged back early in the chase, losing three wickets for just 21. But Suryakumar Yadav got together with Krunal Pandya to stitch a 40-run partnership and get his team back on track. SRH skipper Kane Williamson then unleashed Rashid Khan and Siddarth Kaul, who took the next five wickets between them, to turn the contest on its head.
Surya, who has been MI's standout batsman so far with 230 runs from 6 innings, made a well-compiled 38-ball 34. His wicket in the 15th over left MI tottering at 78 for 7 and put the result beyond doubt. Hardik Pandya, desperately out of form this season, perished soon after before MI lost with seven balls to spare.
Earlier, SRH were dealt a big blow even before the first ball was bowled with Australian pacer Billy Stanlake getting ruled out of the tournament due to a finger injury.
It only went from bad to worse for the visitors, though, with Mitchell McClenaghan taking two wickets in three balls in the second over.
First to go was Shikhar Dhawan. The left-hander, making a comeback to the team after missing the previous game due to an elbow injury, came to the crease with his left hand heavily strapped. His agony was aggravated after he chopped the ball on to his left leg. He looked in serious discomfort and the physio had to be called out. It proved to be a futile exercise as Dhawan was clean bowled off the very next ball. Two deliveries later, Wriddhiman Saha found himself walking back to the pavilion after edging one from McClenaghan to keeper Ishan Kishan.
Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan were the next ones to walk back without troubling the scorers too much. While the Indian got caught at covers after stepping out and playing a forgettable shot, the Bangladeshi was run out after a terrible mix-up.
Skipper Kane Williamson, during his brief stay at the crease, looked like he could pull the game away for SRH. The New Zealand international stroked some glorious boundaries on the off side during his 21-ball 29. Just as he was starting to look dangerous, though, Hardik Pandya set him up beautifully. The all-rounder sent down a few away swingers, before finding the inside edge with one that cut in sharply.
Yusuf Pathan was the only hope for SRH at the end. But he, too, failed to provide the impetus his team desperately needed. The hard-hitting right-hander walked in for the loss of the fourth wicket in the sixth over, but could only manage 20 runs off 23 balls by the time the 18th over started. Pathan hit his team's first six in that over, before becoming the last man to get dismissed off the next delivery.
For Mumbai, McClenaghan, Hardik and young leg-spinner Mayank Markande took two wickets each.
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