Hyderabad: Alzarri Joseph (6/12) took six wickets on debut as Mumbai Indians (MI) crushed table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 40 runs in a low-scoring IPL encounter here Saturday. It was also the best figures by an MI bowler bettering Lasith Malinga’s 5-13 against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2011.
Joseph, who came in as a replacement for injured New Zealander Adam Milne bowled a brilliant length and line making it unplayable for the SRH batsmen who were eventually all out for 96 runs in 17.4 overs. The West Indian quick was ably supported by Rahul Chahar (2/21), Jasprit Bumrah (1/16) and Jason Behendorff (1/28).
Earlier, it was Keiron Pollard (46 n o, 26b, 2×4, 4×6) who hammered an unbeaten knock helping MI reach 136/7. SRH were well on course to limit MI to a sub-120 total before Pollard’s brute power came to the fore which enabled the visitors to collect 39 crucial runs off the final 12 balls.
It wasn’t the best of starts for MI, who lost skipper Rohit Sharma (11) and Suryakumar Yadav (seven) early to be 30/2 in six overs. Rohit was dropped in the first over by Siddarth Kaul (2/34) but could not make much use of that life and was holed out at deep midwicket off Mohammad Nabi (1/13) in the fourth over.
Suryakumar, who had hit a crucial 59 in the previous game against Chennai Super Kings, too did not last long and was adjudged leg before wicket off Sandeep Sharma (1/20).
Stroke play was proving to be difficult on a slow surface and the situation became worse for the visitors when the in-form opener Quinton de Kock (19) departed after trying to increase the scoring rate.
The batsmen especially struggled against Nabi as Mumbai crawled to 52/3 in 10 overs. After Nabi completed his full quota, it was his Afghanistan teammate Rashid Khan (1/27) who made life tough for the opposition batsmen.
The Hyderabad pacers — Sharma and Kaul — too were up to the task, using their pace well on a slow wicket to stifle the batsmen.
Brief scores: Mumbai Indians 136/7 (Keiron Pollard 46 n o; Siddarth Kaul 2/34) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 96 (Alzarri Joseph 6/12) by 40 runs.