Cameron green. (Photo Soure: BCCI/IPL)
Mumbai Indians are on the verge of securing the final playoff spot after a swashbuckling victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league fixture at the Wankhede. The five-time champions chased down a stiff target without breaking much sweat as Cameron Green smashed a majestic maiden IPL century.
It wasn’t an ideal start for the Mumbai Indians in their chase as an in-form Ishan Kishan departed in the third over of the second innings. However, the hard-hitting Cameron Green launched a scathing assault against the Hyderabad bowlers in the powerplay to get the chase back on track for the five-time champions.
Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma, who was struggling for timing in the initial stages of his innings, also found his mojo as the match progressed. The burly Australian smashed a 20-ball half-century to put his side in the driver’s seat. Meanwhile, his skipper also registered a brisk half-century in a 128-run stand for the second wicket.
Despite Rohit’s departure after his fifty, Mumbai kept their foot on the accelerator as Green and Suryakumar Yadav kept piling the pressure with frequent boundaries. The chase turned out to be a cakewalk for the Mumbai-based outfit as they got home in a canter, thanks to Green’s marvellous maiden IPL century.
MI wrestle back the momentum after a mammoth opening stand by SRH
Chasing the final spot in the playoffs, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma elected to bowl first on a batting paradise in Mumbai. The home side were put under tremendous pressure by a new-look Sunrisers Hyderabad opening pair of Mayank Agarwal and Vivrant Sharma.
The Indian duo took a heavy toll on some lacklustre bowling from the Mumbai bowlers in the powerplay. A 23-year-old Vivrant Sharma, batting for the first time in the competition, registered a brisk half-century to register the highest score by an Indian batter on debut.
Meanwhile, his senior partner, Mayank Agarwal, also registered a well-compiled half-century in a sensational 140-run opening stand. However, Mayank’s dismissal in the 17th over saw the home side wrestle back the momentum in the death overs. Young Indian pacer Akash Madhwal, who was expensive in his first over, scalped a brilliant four-for to restrict the visitors to a par total.