Ryan Rickelton, the late replacement for injured Quinton de Kock, dazzled under the spotlight in Mumbai. Ryan was going great guns and converted his start into a big daddy hundred as he remained unbeaten while others like Will Jacks, Naman Dhir and captain Hardik Pandya chipped in well to make sure MI gets to a competitive 243/5 in 20 overs.
Will Jacks & Ryan Rickelton give MI a rollicking start in the power play.Â
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks came out to bat for MI while captain Pat Cummins had the ball in hand for SRH. Jack managed to get the first boundary of the match away with a shot over mid-on for a boundary. Praful Hinge had the ball in hand from the other end. Rickelton welcomed him with a maximum over deep midwicket with a heave. Jack’s got into the act as he punched it past deep backward point for a boundary. Jack then got a top edge over the keeper for a boundary.
Cummins continued as Rickelton heaved it away over the top of midwicket for a boundary. Rickelton then hit it straight down the ground past the bowler for a boundary. Jack was also on a roll as he pressed forward to drive it over the covers for a boundary. Eshan Malinga came into the attack next. He bowled a decent first over. Harsh Dubey came into the attack next as Jacks welcomed him with a maximum over the bowler’s head for the maximum. The 50 came up for MI in 4.1 overs. Jack got into the act as he got down on one knee and swept it behind square for the maximum.
Jack hit another boundary away as he cut it past the left of the diving point for a boundary. Sakib Hussain came into the attack to bowl the last over of power play. Rickelton welcomed him with the maximum over deep backward square leg. Rickelton went big again as he hung back and powerfully pulled it over deep midwicket for the maximum. Rickelton hit another boundary away with a cream through the covers. MI were 78/0 in 6 overs of power play with Rickelton unbeaten on 37 off 18 balls and Jacks with him unbeaten on 38 off 18 balls. We also had the strategic time-out.
SRH strikes thrice, but Rickelton’s maiden IPL ton helps MI stay ahead in the game in the middle phase.Â
Harsh Dubey continued after the break as Jacks got down on one knee and whacked the ball over long-on for the maximum. Rickelton got into the act as he swept it past short fine leg for a boundary. Nitish Kumar Reddy came into the attack next, and he struck for SRH, removing Jacks for 46 off 22 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes to his name as the outside edge went through to the keeper Ishan Kishan. Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat next.
Surya got off the mark with a boundary with a guide, which passed the backward point for a boundary. Rickelton then crunched the ball in front of the square for a boundary. The 100 came up for MI in 7.4 overs. Rickelton then heaved the ball with a heave over backward square leg for the maximum. Rickelton reached his fifty in 23 balls, his 5th IPL fifty. Eshan Malinga came back into the attack, and he removed Surya cheaply for 5 off 5 balls with a boundary to his name as the pull shot went to the long leg region. Naman Dhir came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Cummins returned as Naman punched the ball between covers and mid-off for a boundary. Rickelton then got on top of the bounce and slapped it past covers for a boundary. MI were 124/2 in 10 overs. Sakib continued as Rickelton managed to swivel and help it on its way past short fine leg for a boundary. Naman then square drove it past the backward point for a boundary.
Harsh Dubey returned to the attack, and he was welcomed back by Rickelton with the slog sweep over midwicket for the maximum. Rickelton went big again as he got underneath it and slogged it straight back over the bowler’s head for the maximum. The 150 came up for MI in 11.3 overs. Naman then pumped it hard down the ground for a boundary. Eshan Malinga came back into the attack again. The 50-run stand came up between the two players as Malinga bowled an excellent over. Hinge came back into the attack next.
Hinge got rid of Naman for 22 off 17 balls with 3 fours to his name as he went for the big one and miscued it to the fielder in the deep. Captain Hardik Pandya came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Nitish Kumar Reddy came back into the attack next for the 15th over. Rickelton whipped across the line and got it away past short fine leg and deep square leg for a boundary. Rickelton reached his maiden IPL hundred off 44 balls. MI were 181/3 in 15 overs with Rickelton unbeaten on 100 off 44 balls while Hardik was unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls.
Ryan Rickelton carries his bat as MI finished with a powerful 243/5.Â
Praful Hinge continued as Rickelton pulled it away for a boundary towards the deep square leg region. Hardik got into the act as he cleared his front leg and went for the pull to get the top edge over the keeper for a boundary. Hardik smashed it away hard over wide long-on down the ground for the maximum. Hardik once again cleared his front leg and smashed it past midwicket for a boundary as the 200 came up for MI in 15.5 overs. MI were 202/3 in 16 overs when we paused for the Strategic Time Out, the second of the innings.
Pat Cummins continued and bowled a good last over. Malinga returned to the attack as Hardik took him on and went powerfully down the ground for the maximum. Malinga came back and kept the runs down as well. Sakib Hussain came back to bowl the 19th over. He got rid of Hardik for 31 off 15 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name as Hardik mistimed the ball and miscued it to Heinrich Klaasen at long-off.
Tilak Varma came out to bat next. Tilak got off the mark with a maximum going down the ground over the bowler’s head over long-on for the maximum. Praful Hinge came to bowl the final over of the innings, with Aniket Verma also replacing Sakib Hussain for SRH as an Impact Player. Hinge struck for his side as he dismissed Varma for 7 off 5 balls, with one six to his name as the miscue was taken at long-off. Robin Minz came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Rickelton was in the zone as he smashed Hinge from the middle of the bat over long-on down the ground for the maximum. Rickelton swung across to hook and got a top edge over short fine leg for a boundary. Mi ended with a mammoth 243/5 in 20 overs, with Rickelton carrying his bat with 123 off 55 balls, with 10 fours and 8 sixes to his name. Minz was unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball. 8 extras given by the fielding side.
For SRH, it was a tough outing with the ball in hand. Praful Hinge finished with 2/54 in 4 overs. Eshan Malinga bowled really well for his 1/29 in 4 overs. Sakib Hussain finished with 1/39 in 3 overs. Nitish Kumar Reddy finished with 1/31 in 2 overs. Harsh Dubey went for 50 in 3 overs. Pat Cummins, the captain, went for 39 in 4 overs. SRH now have to chase 244 for an improbable win.
Who’s Winning, MI or SRH?Â
MI have the runs on the board thanks to an unbelievable innings from Ryan Rickelton, who carried his bat. 243 is a huge score. SRH has to bat out of their skins to win this contest. The pitch looks flat to bat on. If SRH turns up with the bat, we could be in for a contest. For now, MI has the advantage at the interval. Let’s see how the chase unfolds.
Also Read:Â MI vs SRH: MI Aims To Get Back To Winning Ways In Crucial Clash