Ambati Rayudu and Kurnal Pandya played contrasting but equally vital innings as Mumbai Indians (MI) overcame early jitters to reach a sub-par 142 for 6 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 12 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016 at Hyderabad. Martin Guptill’s IPL debut was unmemorable as he was done in by a Bhuvneshwar Kumar special. India’s swing bowler, who had lost most of his swing over the last couple of years, seems to have found his rhythm in IPL 9. Bhuvneshwar managed to bowl a perfect out-swinger that kissed Guptill’s outside edge through to wicketkeeper Naman Ojha for 2. LIVE CRICKET SCORECARD: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians , Live Score, 12th T20 Match, IPL 2016
MI then made their first (of many) changes to the batting order. Rayudu was sent in at No. 3 in what was his 100th T20 match, and he celebrated by scoring a composed half-century. However, he did not get much help from the other end; Parthiv Patel tried to slog his way to glory but only managed to score 10 off 12 balls before he inevitably lost his stumps thanks to a piece of smart bowling by Barinder Sran. Rohit Sharma ran himself out soon thereafter, making 5 off 8 balls. Jos Buttler strangled himself by snicking one down the leg side to give Sran another wicket and Ojha another catch. LIVE CRICKET BLOG: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians , Live Score, 12th T20 Match, IPL 2016
At 60 for 4, the senior Pandya brother made his way to the middle. Krunal showed just why he was sought after so cleanly by MI. Krunal smashed 3 sixes in as many balls off Bipul Sharma’s final over to spoil what had been an impressive spell till then. After starting with 0 for 14 in 3 overs, Bipul was slammed for 4 sixes in his final over — one by Rayudu — to finish with 0 for 40 in 4 overs. Krunal kept going after that, using his powerful wrists to toy with the bowling.
Rayudu was soon dismissed hitting wrecker-in-chief Sran to Moises Henriques for a 49-ball 54 with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Hardik Pandya did not last long, getting bowled for 2 by an exquisite yorker from Mustafizur Rahman in the 19th over of the innings. Krunal missed out on his half-century, remaining unbeaten on 49 off only 28 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes as MI finished at 142 for 6.
Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 142 for 6 in 20 overs (Ambati Rayudu 54, Krunal Pandya 49*; Barinder Sran 3 for 28) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad.
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is an animal lover and comic, film and TV geek. A fast bowler at heart, he enjoys watching a good, low-scoring game of cricket. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
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