Mumbai, Apr 17 (UNI) A blazing finish by Pat Cummins and Aniket Verma salvaged Sunrisers Hyderabad’s innings and took them to a competitive total of 162 for 5 in their 20 overs, after Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bowl first in Match 33 of the Indian Premier League 2025 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.
What began as a brisk opening was punctuated by middle-order hiccups before SRH mounted a counterattack, led first by Heinrich Klaasen and then turbocharged by Cummins and Verma in the final over.
Put in to bat, SRH began assertively with Abhishek Sharma giving them early momentum. The southpaw was aggressive from the outset, scoring a fluent 40 off 28 balls with 7 boundaries. He was particularly effective against Deepak Chahar, smashing him for three consecutive boundaries in the fifth over and finding the fence regularly with both power and placement.
However, his charge was halted by MI skipper Hardik Pandya, who surprised him with a slower short ball. Abhishek slapped it straight to substitute fielder Raj Bawa at sweeper cover, ending a promising 59-run opening stand with Travis Head.
Head himself struggled to accelerate, managing just 28 from 29 balls. He tried to break free against Will Jacks but holed out to Mitchell Santner at long-off, becoming the second of Jacks' twin strikes after he had earlier dismissed Ishan Kishan (2), stumped while trying to advance down the pitch.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (19 off 21) played a few attractive shots, including a reverse sweep for four off Santner and a classic straight drive, but he too departed at a crucial juncture, caught by Tilak Varma at long-on while attempting a helicopter-styled slog off Tret Boult. At 113 for 4 in the 17th over, SRH looked in danger of finishing well below par.
Just when SRH needed momentum, Heinrich Klaasen exploded. The South African wicketkeeper-batsman launched into Chahar in the 18th over, hammering 22 runs in a sequence that included two sixes — one whipped off the pads behind square, and another over extra cover — and back-to-back boundaries through midwicket and long-on.
However, Jasprit Bumrah — ever the death-overs maestro — had the last word. Klaasen, attempting to make room to a full toss, was cleaned up as the off-stump was disturbed. The delivery, though a full toss, was fast and deceptive — not an easy ball to hit, even in the slog overs.
Klaasen’s knock of 37 off 28 (3 fours, 2 sixes) was vital in lifting SRH from a middling position to a competitive one.
At 136 for 5 with just 11 balls remaining, Hyderabad seemed destined for a finish around 150. But the final over from Pandya changed the complexion of the innings.
Aniket, who had barely got started, launched into Pandya with two stunning sixes: the first a flat-batted slap over extra cover, and the second a one-handed slog over square leg off a full toss. Cummins, facing the final delivery, got the perfect gift — another full toss — which he gleefully slogged over deep backward square for a six.
The 20th over went for 22 runs, as SRH plundered 26 from the final 9 balls of the innings. Aniket finished unbeaten on 18 off 8, while Cummins remained 8 not out off 4, giving SRH a much-needed final flourish.
Mumbai bowlers had their moments. Jacks was the most effective, taking 2 for 14 in his 3 overs and applying the brakes in the middle overs. Bumrah (4-0-21-1) was at his miserly best, especially at the death, while Boult (4-0-29-1) picked up Nitish Reddy at a vital stage.
Captain Pandya (4-0-42-1) had an expensive outing despite taking Abhishek's wicket, while Chahar struggled, going wicketless for 47 in his quota — his worst outing of the season.
SRH's 162 is a fighting total on a surface that has played evenly so far. The onus now shifts to Mumbai's powerful batting lineup, led by Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, and Suryakumar Yadav, to chase it down under the lights at Wankhede.
The match remains finely poised, and with both teams eyeing crucial points at this mid-stage of the tournament, the second innings promises to be a cracker.
UNI BDN SS