IPL 2017: Young guns Rana, Krunal shine again as MI comfortably thump SRH

That Nitish Rana is a special talent to be nurtured was known with the kind of innings he played in the last game against Kolkata Knight Riders that saw Mumbai Indians ease through. On Wednesday night, he showed his performance wasn’t a flash in the pan and he can play more such knocks to help his team come out trumps even in trying circumstances.

Although the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad wasn’t a trying one as Mumbai easily 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 heart out, especially Harbhajan Singh (2/23) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/24) to keep the target easily gettable.

Rana’s crucial knock (45, 36b) and an entertaining innings from Krunal Pandya (37, 20b, 3x4 3x6) stole MI their second successive win. Rana’s task was easier compared to the previous game. The runs required were easily chasable, but it was the number of big wickets lost, that 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 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 went madly after 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 build a strong 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Bhuneshwar Kumar claimed Pandya and then Nitish Rana. However, the 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 form Hyderabad were coming in from, the home team attack led by veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh exposed the batting heavy side, led by a certain David Warner.

The first over itself from Harbhajan revealed the intention that Mumbai Indians had a plan to choke their opponents. The Punjab off-spinner conceded just two of 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.

Warner, however, did not let the pressure upon himself, coming up with odd boundaries at regular intervals. He went aerial for maximum a couple of times to seamer Hardik Pandya and Harbhajan His partner Shikhar Dhawan, on the other hand, had a cautious approach. The southpaw looked rusty throughout the innings, struggling to create opportunities for big shots. But when it came in his zone, the ball wouldn’t go unpunished.
The kind of start the visitors were off to, crossing the 80-run mark after 10 overs was decent enough.

When the time came to accelerate further, Warner went for a reverse sweep to Harbhajan only to find a top edge which saw the ball go aerial. Wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel was quick enough to run and dive full stretch to grab the catch.

Any hopes for a late surge from Hyderabad once a set Warner went back. Stroke-maker Deepak Hooda, too, followed the suit in the same over, giving Harbhajan his second wicket that saw the offie finish two for 23 in four overs.