MI makes playoff with a superover finish

MI bowlers held their nerve to ensure MI became the third team to reach the last four. Bumrah’s immaculate bowling in the superover saw SRH score only 8 runs. The first ball saw Pandey get run out that was triggered by a fumble in the deep by Krunal Pandya. Nabi struck a towering in the second ball to put SRH back on track but missed a straight Yorker in the next ball to end SRH’s innings. 9 was never a daunting ask for Hardik Pandya even if the opposition bowler was Rashid Khan. It took just one ball for him to settle the score; Hardik hit Rashid’s first ball for a six and from then it was about singles.

15 runs off the last over was too much even if the bowler was Hardik Pandya. However Nabi struck Hardik for a six off the third ball to keep the hopes alive. Hardik finally got the better of Nabi when he tried to send the wide slower ball into the stands but in the end he mistimed the shot completely. It was down to 7 from 1 with Manish Pandey on strike. The atmosphere was electric in the stadium with crowds behind Mumbai Indians. Pandya silenced the Wankhade by muscling the last ball into the stands. It was yet another superover, the second of this season.  

SRH’s new pair Saha and Guptill had surely their work cut out against a strong MI bowling lineup. Saha had other ideas instead, he played aggressively putting pressure on MI new ball bowlers, Bumrah and Malinga straightaway. His partner Guptill was playing the anchor’s role taking single and giving the strike to Saha who was striking at 160. SRH’s run rate in PPs (8.75) the highest courtesy (Warner and Bairtsow). Saha and Guptill ensured they continue with the same tempo after taking the score to 40 in just 4 overs. However Bumrah removed Saha for 25 to give some respite, his first wicket in PPs this season. He then removed the kiwi after he missed a straight ball and was caught plumb in front. Bumrah like always brought MI into the game. However the incoming batsmen Manish Pandey didn’t let the start go away in vain although he kept on losing partners at the other end.

was looking that SRH will run away with an easy victory because the required run rate was always under control but Krunal’s timely wickets of Williamson and Shankar opened the flood gates. Krunal ended with figures of 2 for 22 in his quota of four overs. His spell was crucial because the SRH batsmen played out Rahul Chahar without any undue risk.

Bumrah like always brought MI into the game. However the incoming batsmen Manish Pandey didn’t let the start go away in vain although he kept on losing partners at the other end. It was down to 48 of the last four overs. Surely it was MI’s game despite Manish Pandey being in the middle. Two of the four overs had to be bowled by Bumrah, the best in the business when it comes to death overs. However the batsmen in the middle Nabi and Pandey didn’t lose their calm and took the game to the last over.

MI’s opener Rohit started off aggressively after scoring at almost 10 runs per over. Rohit looked in good nick till he was at the crease. His stroke play was effortless and was scoring boundaries at will off SRH pacers until Williamson introduced spin and the runs started drying up. MI were still comfortably placed at 36 at the end of 5 overs. However Rohit was removed in the second ball of the sixth over by Khaleel Ahmed courtesy of an effort delivery that got big on him while trying to play a pull shot.

Rohit’s opening partner, De Kock was struggling with his timing therefore the incoming batsmen had no choice but to attack from the word go. Suryakumar hit Khaleel for two fours to get his innings going. Both added 55 for the second wicket to lay a platform for the big hitters Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya to unleash at the end.

The bowlers ensured that the match is not out of their hand by taking wickets at crucial junctures. First Khaleel removed Surya Kumar Yadav for 23 who was looking good at the crease. He was ensuring that the boundaries don’t dry up and the pressure keeps mounting when his partner was struggling. Nabi then removed the hard hitting West Indian, Evin Lewis. The situation was tailor made for him but couldn’t capitalize on the start they got. When Bhuvi removed the dangerous Hardik for just 18 in the 16th over before he could inflict further damage it was left to Pollard.

In the final four overs MI could manage 40 runs which was way below par in Wankhade. Teams have been scoring at 11.64 RPO at death, the best after Eden Gardens. SRH bowlers did their homework and didn’t allow any freebies. It was De Kock who hit some boundaries to take MI’s score past 160 run mark. His uncharacteristic slowly but measured innings of 69 kept MI in the hunt.

Momentum Shift

16 came of Basil Thampi’s over which increased MI’s winning probability by 13 %. Before the over started their win % was 44. Hardik struck Thampi for a six and  a four and De Kock followed it by another boundary to make it an eventful over.

  SRH’s chances of victory dropped by 17% when they lost Guptill in the 6th over of their run-chase but Pandey’s innings of 71 took them close but yet so far in the end.