Mumbai Indians rock Wankhede, living up to their anthem and slogan

By K.R. Nayar
From Wankhede Stadium 

Mumbai Indians played true to their anthem ‘Play Like Mumbai’, and their slogan ‘Duniya Hila Denge Hum’, which means ‘We will rock the world’, ensuring Sunrisers Hyderabad did not rise above them in a match held soon after sunset at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. They won by four wickets with 11 balls to spare.

 

A police man guards the 'Play Like Mumbai ' banner at the Wankhede Stadium. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Mumbai Indians' fans had packed almost every seat in the 32,000-capacity stadium. With a strong will to win the match, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl. Will Jacks, through an all-round performance, transformed the will to win into reality on a sluggish wicket. He picked up two wickets and top-scored with 36 runs.

 

Former speedster Dale Steyn had predicted that the match would produce a total of over 300 runs. However, Sunrisers scored only 162 for 5, just a little over half the total Steyn had predicted.

 

Abhishek Sharma ... elegant strokes 

When Hyderabad’s openers, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, put on 59 runs in 7.3 overs, it briefly seemed as if Steyn’s prediction might come true. It was a treat to watch 24-year-old Sharma’s elegant strokes as he contributed 40 runs to the partnership. A lot will be heard in the future about this player who may soon emerge as the next Sharma at the top of India’s batting order. Many had billed this match as a Sharma vs Sharma contest — the other being Mumbai’s Rohit Sharma. Both entertained the crowd with breathtaking strokes.

 

Rohit Sharma's six... one for the fans 

Though Rohit gave Mumbai a quick start with 26 runs from 16 balls, he was unable to convert it into a big score. The crowd roared in applause for Sharma’s three sixes, and the giant scoreboard flashed ‘Roaring Sharma’ in his honor. However, Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins silenced the crowd by forcing Rohit to hit a full toss straight into Travis Head’s hands. Cummins once again demonstrated his knack for silencing the home crowd — much like he did as Australia’s captain in the final of the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad.

 

Pat Cummins extends his habit of silencing the crowd 

Yet, Cummins could not keep the Mumbai crowd quiet for long. They cheered loudly for Will Jacks and Suryakumar Yadav, who together put a crucial 52-run partnership in just 29 balls. Jacks’ 36 came off 26 balls, while Yadav smashed 26 runs from just 15 deliveries. Chasing a modest total, this partnership was vital to Mumbai's victory.

 

Will Jacks speaks to journalist G. Krishnan after his match wining show. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Sunrisers could post only 166 for 6, largely due to Jacks’ accurate off-spin, which yielded two wickets for just 14 runs from his three overs. He was well supported by Jasprit Bumrah, who conceded only 21 runs from his four overs and dismissed Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen had threatened to inflate Hyderabad’s total with a brisk 37, which included three fours and two sixes. Hyderabad could have ended up with an even lower score if not for Mumbai pacer Deepak Chahar, who leaked 21 runs in the 18th over, and Pandya, who conceded 22 runs in the final over. Hyderabad’s poor batting performance was underscored by the fact that without those 43 runs from the last two overs, their total would have been below 150.

 

Daniel Vettori after the post match press conference. Photo by K.R. Nayar  

Before the match, Hyderabad’s head coach Daniel Vettori had urged his players to respect the conditions and play accordingly. Unfortunately, his players failed to heed his advice and lost the match. As a result, Hyderabad has now managed only two wins from their seven matches. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, with back-to-back victories over table-toppers Delhi Capitals and Hyderabad, might just be ready to rock the IPL once again.