The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad was filled with a downpour of records as the home team Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured a 31-run win against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 8 of the 2024 Tata Indian Premier League (IPL). SRH’s astonishing batting performance set a new record on the batting-friendly pitch. With a total of 277 for three, SRH now holds the highest team score in the history of the Tata IPL, surpassing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) 263 for five in the 2013 season. Despite making a valiant effort, MI fell short in their chase and were unable to achieve the seemingly impossible target. In the end, SRH sealed the victory but not without facing several nerve-wracking moments.
The slowest half-century of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) innings was achieved by Heinrich Klaasen in 23 balls, showcasing the severity of the damage we witnessed. In contrast, Travis Head, who was playing his debut match for SRH, reached the same milestone in just 18 balls. The quickest fifty by an SRH player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was recorded by Abhishek Sharma, who achieved it in only 16 balls.
MI captain Hardik Pandya won the coin toss and elected to field first. In the team’s lineup, Kwena Maphaka replaced Luke Wood for his Tata IPL debut, making him one of the youngest players in the tournament’s history at just 17 years old. He was given the responsibility of opening the bowling attack.
In the beginning of the game, SRH gained control with the help of Travis Head. He quickly got into the game and hit a four in the first over with a backfoot drive. In the second over, Pandya took the ball and Head hit a powerful shot through mid-on. Unfortunately, the ball slipped through Tim David’s hands and went for a boundary.
Head punished MI for the missed catch by effortlessly cutting, driving, and flicking the ball. He also displayed skill by gracefully gliding the ball over short third-man for four runs. While Head dominated at one end, Mayank Agarwal attempted to score quickly at the other, but was dismissed by Pandya in the fifth over for attempting a pull shot over mid-on.
Abhishek Sharma was called upon to take the field, matching Head’s shots with equal skill. His impressive performance included seven sixes, with his sweeps over the leg-side drawing particular attention. However, Head’s inning ended at 62 runs off 24 balls in the eighth over, as he attempted to hit a shot over backward point. At this point, SRH had already amassed a score of 113.
Abhishek’s impressive performance persisted as he consistently applied pressure on the MI bowlers. By the halfway point, SRH was inching closer to a total of 150, putting the record in jeopardy. Unfortunately, Abhishek’s formidable score of 63 came to an end when he attempted to hit a boundary towards wide long-on, but was ultimately caught by a fielder in the deep.
When MI believed that they might have a chance to gain ground, they faced a strong opposition in the form of Klaasen and Aiden Markram. Klaasen carried on his impressive performance from Kolkata, while Markram held his ground and strategically attacked only a few times. Klaasen was the one who maintained the pace for SRH and caused difficulties for the MI bowlers. Their unbeaten partnership of 116 runs led SRH to a record-breaking score, with Klaasen scoring 80 runs off just 34 balls, including seven sixes.
In the midway point, MI was not expected to have a chance at the ultimate achievement in the Tata IPL. However, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma followed SRH’s lead and executed impressive shots, leading MI to a strong start. Kishan’s explosive performance propelled MI to reach 50 runs in just three overs. He was eventually taken out after scoring 34 runs off 13 balls. In the following over, Rohit was dismissed for 26 runs off 12 balls while attempting to hit a cross-bat shot against Pat Cummins. With MI at 66 runs for two wickets in the fifth over, SRH managed to make a comeback.
The young players of MI’s middle order rekindled their team’s chances by persistently attacking the SRH bowlers. Naman Dhir and Tilak Varma, scoring 30 off 14 balls and 64 off 34 balls respectively, formed a dynamic partnership of 84 runs in just over six overs. This impressive performance allowed MI to reach 150 runs by the 11th over, turning an impossible situation into a possible victory.
Tilak’s performance was exceptional due to his well-rounded approach, displaying aggressive hits on both the leg and off sides. One particular standout was his six off leg-spinner Mayank Markande with a cover drive. Varma also reached his fifty in just 24 balls.
MI’s momentum was halted in the 11th over when Dhir was dismissed. In an attempt to boost the batting order, Pandya stepped up and had a strong start with a six and a four against Markande. However, SRH managed to slow down the scoring with a five-run over in the 13th. In the 15th over, Cummins was targeted by Tilak but unfortunately, he was caught out.
After that point, SRH dominated the game while MI struggled to score boundaries consistently. Jaydev Unadkat played a crucial role for SRH, giving away just 19 runs in his last two overs during the crucial final overs and taking Pandya’s wicket. Cummins and Markande then finished off the game for SRH.
The recent game saw a total of 523 runs being made and 38 sixes being hit in both innings, setting new records for a Tata IPL match and T20 cricket in general. The supporters of SRH celebrated their team’s triumph at the beginning of their home leg in the Tata IPL 2024, while the statisticians updated their record books.