Rana comes good with bat, Harbhajan and Bumrah with ball as Sharma and Co beat Hyderabad by four wickets
That Mumbai Indians' Nitish Rana is a special talent to be nurtured is known after the kind of innings he played in the last game against Kolkata Knight Riders.
On Wednesday night, he showed his performance wasn't a flash in the pan and he can play more such knocks and dig his team out of trying situations.
The game against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede here on Wednesday wasn't a trying one as Mumbai got the better of the visitors by four wickets, chasing down 159 with eight balls to spare. However, it would be incomplete if one takes away the credit from the Mumbai bowlers who bowled their hearts out, especially Harbhajan Singh (2/23) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/24).
Rana's crucial knock (45, 36b) and an entertaining innings from Krunal Pandya (37, 20b, 3x4 3x6) earned MI it's second successive win.
Rana's task was easier compared to the previous game. The target was not daunting but loss of few quick wickets made it look difficult.
Opener Parthiv Patel once again gave a good start but succumbed to a loose shot after his partner Jos Buttler and Rohit Sharma walked back home cheaply.
In walked Rana and the calm was restored as he went about his job with ease. After the fall of Keiron Pollard, the southpaw, along with the hard-hitter Pandya got going. The senior Pandya was ruthless against the Hyderabad attack, slamming their best bowler Rashid Khan for a huge six and then punishing the veteran Ashish Nehra with a few big blows.
The two built a 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket, before Bhuneshwar Kumar claimed Pandya and then Nitish Rana. However, damage was already done as Hardik and Harbhajan saw the team easily reach home.
Earlier, a strong Hyderabad batting line-up came a cropper against a mighty Mumbai bowling after captain Rohit Sharma asked the visitors to bat first.
Billed as the 'big clash' due to the kind of form Hyderabad are in, the home team attack led by veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh exposed the chinks in the batting armour of the side led by David Warner.
The first over itself from Harbhajan showed that they had a plan to choke the run flow. The off-spinner conceded just two off the first over, bowling with the new ball.
Even as the game progressed, the Mumbai bowlers did not let loose the opportunity as Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah kept it tight from one end each.
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 "Nitish Rana")
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