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Mumbai Indians registered their first victory in this year's IPL with Suryakumar Yadav's half-century helping the team end an eight-match drought. Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets at the Dr DY Patil Stadium here on Saturday.
The victory came on Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma's birthday. Chasing a tricky 159-run target, Mumbai Indians did not get the best of starts losing their skipper Rohit Sharma cheaply as five-time champions lost their first wicket for 23. Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Rohit at 2 and the MI captain's poor run with the bat continued in the tournament. Wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan batted aggressively hitting boundaries and sixes to keep Mumbai's scoreboard moving. But left-arm pacer Trent Boult dismissed him for 26 off 18 balls after he had hit four boundaries and one six as MI lost their second wicket for 41. Mumbai Indians needed a partnership and Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma did exactly that to take the team's total beyond the 50-run mark in 6.3 overs. Suryakumar Yadav batted aggressively and along with Tilak Varma notched up a fifty-run partnership in just 33 balls while taking the team's total beyond the triple-figure mark in 12.3 overs. Suryakumar also scored his half-century in just 36 balls. Just when the MI team looked like motoring along, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal jolted them dismissing Suryakumar for 51 off 39 balls. In the next over, pacer Prasidh Krishna also struck dismissing Tilak Varma for 35 to reduce Mumbai to 122/4. Mumbai Indians once again needed a partnership and Kieron Pollard played a patient knock and allowed Tim David to bat aggressively and Mumbai's score reached beyond the 150-run mark. With four runs needed in the last over, Mumbai Indians lost the wicket of Pollard against the run of play to Kuldeep Sen but in the next ball, Daniel Sams hit a six to seal a five-wicket win for Mumbai Indians. Earlier in the day, after being put to bat first by Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals got off a shaky start as spinner Hritik Shokeen dismissed opener Devdutt Paddikal (15) with an assist from Kieron Pollard at the long-off in the fifth over when the team's score was 26. This brought the captain Sanju Samson to the field. After the conclusion of the powerplay, the Royals had a solid 40 runs on the board at the loss of one wicket with in-form Jos Buttler and Samson on the crease. Samson was looking dangerous, hitting Shokeen for two sixes over long-off and long-on before debutant Kumar Kartikeya dismissed the batter in his first over, the eighth of the innings. Samson departed for 16 off 7 with two sixes. The dismissal brought the New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell to the crease. At the end of 10 overs, RR stood at 73 for the loss of two wickets with Buttler (28*) and Mitchell (11*) at the crease. The scoring pace dwindled after the conclusion of the 10th over. Daniel Sams eventually got the best of a struggling Mitchell, who was caught by captain Rohit Sharma in the 15th over after a 20-ball 17 with just one four. The third wicket was lost at 91 runs for RR. In the same over, Buttler hit the first boundary for his team in over 30 balls. After 15 overs, RR stood at 102/3 at three wickets, with Buttler (43*) joined by in-form Shimron Hetmyer (1*). Only 29 could be scored in these five overs. After Shokeen was brought back into the attack, Buttler relieved some pressure for his side, welcoming him with four consecutive sixes, which also brought his third fifty of the tournament. Unexpectedly, it was Shokeen who had the last laugh as he dismissed Buttler for 67 off 52 in the final ball of the over, with Suryakumar Yadav's safe hands offering their help at the right time. Riyan Parag, the hero for the Royals against RCB in the previous game, joined Hetymer at the crease. Bumrah was brought back to the attack in the 17th over and the bowler gave just four runs. Meredith swung back the game in MI's favour by dismissing Parag in the 18th over of the game for 3, which brought all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin to the crease. Ashwin played an entertaining cameo for his side, making 21 off just nine deliveries with three fours and a six before departing in the final over after being dismissed by Meredith with help from behind the wickets from the keeper Ishan Kishan. Finally, with Trent Boult and Hetmyer at the crease, RR finished off at 158/6 in their 20 overs. They scored 56 runs from their final five overs. Riley Meredith (2/24), Kumar Kartikeya (1/19), Hritik Shokeen (2/47) were the pick of the bowlers for MI, with Daniels Sams also getting 1/32 in four overs. Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 158/6 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 67, Ravichandran Ashwin 21, Riley Meredith 2/24) vs Mumbai Indians 161/5 in 19.2 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 51, Tilak Varma 35; Ravichandran Ashwin 1/21). (ANI)
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