Mumbai: Travis Head (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (65 not out) outmuscled Ryan Rickelton’s record 123 not out for Mumbai Indians as Sunrisers Hyderabad romped home to a six-wicket in their Indian Premier League contest, here on Wednesday.
After Rickelton’s highest individual score for MI and also their fastest-ever ton in IPL history took the hosts to a formidable 243/5, SRH rode on a combined batting show to win with eight balls to spare.
Mumbai Indians had also registered their highest score batting first, but SRH recorded the fourth-highest successful run chase in IPL history on a docile wicket which provided absolutely no competition between the bat and the ball.
Head enjoyed several reprieves during his explosive innings, including dropped chances off Trent Boult’s bowling. A missed edge early on and lapses in the field allowed SRH to seize momentum, as Head and Abhishek Sharma launched a fierce assault on the MI bowlers.
SRH raced to 62 in just four overs, taking on the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Boult, and Will Jacks with ease. The openers added 129 runs in 8.4 overs, eclipsing MI’s 93-run opening stand. Abhishek fell after a quickfire start, while Ishan Kishan departed for a duck soon after.
MI briefly clawed back with a few wickets, including Head’s dismissal, but Klaasen quickly extinguished any hopes with a counter-attacking innings. Salil Arora added the final flourish with an unbeaten 30 off just 10 balls, sealing the emphatic win.
Earlier, Rickelton anchored MI’s innings with a magnificent 123* off 55 balls, laced with 10 fours and eight sixes. He found support from Jacks (46 off 22) and skipper Hardik Pandya (31 off 15), as MI posted their highest total of the season.
Rickelton and Jacks gave MI a flying start, putting on 78 in the powerplay and 93 for the first wicket in just seven overs. While Rickelton held the innings together with a composed yet aggressive knock, SRH’s batting firepower ultimately proved too strong on a night dominated by big hitting.
