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 victory in their Indian Premier League contest, 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.
Chasing 244, SRH made 249/4 in 18.4 overs. While Head provided early fireworks, racing to 30-ball 76 with eight sixes and four fours, Klaasen produced an equally brutal knock to finish with 65 not out off 30 balls with seven fours and four sixes.
For MI, a string of missed opportunities early on proved costly in their sixth defeat in eight matches.
While he was in his usual element, Head’s knock was also littered with lifelines provided by MI.
The first ball of the third over from Trent Boult (1/41) swung away from Head, and he threw his hands at it, slicing in the air towards deep point.
Naman Dhir did well to get to the ball, but it burst through his hands to land beyond the ropes. Head and Abhishek went about their job nonchalantly while smacking almost every bowler around the park.
Wicketless once again, Jasprit Bumrah (0/54) was hit for 14 in his first over, Boult for 18 after 11 in his first, and Will Jacks was clobbered for 19 runs in his first as SRH raced to 62 in four overs.
The onslaught continued beyond the powerplay when MI brought in Ashwani Kumar (2-0-41-0), as SRH openers collected 23 runs off the left-arm seamer to continue with the carnage.
SRH responded to MI’s 93-run opening stand, which took seven overs with 129 runs in only 8.4, with Head being the more dominant than Abhishek.
