IPL 2021: SRH vs MI Review – Mumbai win big but miss out on playoff spot

The odds were heavily stacked against five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians, who needed a miracle in their last league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, despite sealing a 42-run win at Abu Dhabi, they failed to qualify for the IPL 2021 playoffs owing to their net run rate. It was the Kolkata Knight Riders who ended up taking the 4th spot.

Kishan goes berserk

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss earlier in the evening and elected to bat first. They had to make a lot of runs and their innings started with a sparkling knock from Ishan Kishan. Rohit fell early but Kishan continued the mayhem, bringing up this season’s fastest fifty.

Hyderabad bounced back with crucial wickets of Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, who fell cheaply. Pollard’s wicket also brought Jimmy Neesham’s wicket. But Suryakumar Yadav ensured that the brutal hitting kept going from one end. Leading into the death overs, he went on a calculated assault, tearing every Hyderabad bowler apart. His 40-ball 82 helped Mumbai finish with 235/9 – their highest-ever total in T20s.

An unlikely scenario

Mumbai had to restrict Hyderabad under 65 runs to qualify. But SRH openers Jason Roy and Abhishek Sharma had other plans and kept attacking from the get go. Ironically, the first wicket fell on 64 with Roy getting out on 34. Sharma later got out for 33. Manish Pandey, the stand-in skipper for Hyderabad, scored some handy runs to keep them in the chase.

After Abdul Samad and Mohammad Nabi were dismissed cheaply, he was joined by Priyam Garg who looked good during his 21-ball 29. Pandey on the other hand got to a fifty but saw wickets falling at the other end. SRH eventually finished their innings on 193/8, with Pandey unbeaten on 69.

Top performers

Ishan Kishan: The southpaw continued flourishing in his role as Mumbai’s opening batsman. His blazing 84 was laced with 11 fours and 4 sixes.

Suryakumar Yadav: Once Kishan was gone, the Mumbai batters were finding it tough to keep the momentum going, but Surya managed to keep the pressure on Hyderabad with some incredible hitting. He smashed 13 fours and 3 outrageous sixes en route his fabulous half-century.

Personal achievements/records

• Mohammad Nabi became the first fielder to take 5 catches in an IPL match
• This was Mumbai’s highest ever total across the IPL and Champions League T20
• Manish Pandey reached 6000 runs in T20 cricket
• Suryakumar Yadav crossed 4000 T20 runs