Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma plays a shot during the Indian Premier League. | AFP
Rohit Sharma finally made his start count with a fluent half century to guide Mumbai Indians to dominating nine-wicket win in company of fluent Suryakumar Yadav over a hapless Chennai Super Kings in their return leg IPL clash at the Wankhede stadium on Sunday.
The Mumbai duo shared an undefeated 114-run second wicket stand as hosts wrapped up the chase in 15.4 overs to register third consecutive win and boost their points and net run rate. Rohit remained unbeaten on 76 in 45 balls while Surya made 68 in 30 balls.
Earlier, hosts came up with another good bowling performance to restrict visitors to 176/5. Ravindra Jadeja scored unbeaten 53 in 35 balls and Shivam Dube also hit a half century. Debutant Ayush Mhatre gave the initial impetus with 15-ball 32.
Jaspirt Burmah led the bowling charts with figures of 2 for 25 and spinners Mitchell Santner (1/14 in 3 overs) and Will Jacks (4 runs in one over) conceded just 18 runs in four overs.
Chasing 176 on a better surface, MI Openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Ricketlon gave hosts a solid platform with 63-run partnership in 40 balls before Jadeja removed Rickelton (24) caught by Mhatre at deep square leg. They scored 62 in powerplays with CSK seamers Khaleel Ahmed and Jamie Overton leaking runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin bowled two overs inside powerplays for just eight runs. Rickelton started with two boundaries off Khaleel and Rohit got into grove with six off Jamie Overton and then punished Khaleel Ahmed in next over with two boundaries and a six. Ashwin was introduced in the fourth over and he brought some calm and Jadeja was impressive in the first over after powerplays.
But Rohit hit Ashwin for six and Surya got the measure of Jadeja with a boundary and six to keep almost 10 run rate at the first strategic timeout after nine overs. Rohit Sharma brought his first fifty of the IPL 2025 in 33 balls by hitting Ashwin for one run towards long off. Barring two close calls when Rohit’s shots fell in no man’s land the hit-man had a flawless innings. He was also a tad lucky when Khaleel Ahmed failed to make balance at the boundary to concede a six.
Surya scored briskly using his reach to good effect to sweep spinners for fours and sixes. Surya was almost caught by Mhatre at boundary as the youngster saved a six with acrobatics to keep it down to one. Rohit later miscued a shot off Matheesha Parthirana but Khaleel Ahmed couldn’t keep balance at the boundary. He reached fifty in 26 ballsand wrapped up the game with three sixes of Parthirana in the 16th over.
Mumbai Indians won the toss again and elected to field in a high intensity clash between the five-time champions. Left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar replaced injured Karn Sharma in the MI playing XI, as hosts added a fifth seamer to playing XI and services of two spinning all-rounders.
Skipper Hardik Pandya rotated the bowlers smartly and Bumrah was introduced in the eighth over. Pandya was himself the seventh bowler on show in the eleventh over. Jadeja and Dube found it tough going as hosts seamers mixed up their deliveries smartly and showed good execution for the second consecutive game. Every bowler had just one over burst in one go after powerplays as MI skipper didn’t want the visitors’ batters to get used to a bowler.
