Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper David Warner (85 n.o., 58b, 10x4, 1x6) and fellow-opener Wriddhiman Saha (58 n.o., 45b, 7x4, 1x6) made it a no-contest in the final league match in Sharjah.
The duo was instrumental in the side overhauling Mumbai Indians’ total of 149 with plenty to spare and help the 2016 champion seal a playoff berth on Tuesday.
Facing a depleted Mumbai attack, sans Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah, the aggressive openers accelerated from the word go and scattered the bowlers to all parts with some audacious strokeplay.
Earlier, the disciplined Sunrisers bowlers had restricted Mumbai Indians in a do-or-die game after electing to field.
The Orange Army — after victories over Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore — kept the Mumbai batsmen quiet in the middle overs after Suryakumar Yadav (36, 29b, 5x4) had threatened to run away with the game.
Making a return to the XI after a hamstring injury had laid him low, skipper Rohit Sharma did not fire, falling for just four. He was consumed by a knuckleball from Sandeep Sharma. Quinton de Kock (25, 13b, 2x4, 2x6) hammered Sandeep for a four, six and six before dragging a full toss outside off-stump on to his wicket.
Suryakumar and Ishan Kishan (33, 30b, 1x4, 2x6) added 42 for the third wicket, going after Rashid Khan. However, left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem removed Suryakumar, thanks to a superb stumping from Saha. As the Mumbai batsman attempted a drive off a delivery pitched outside off-stump, the ’keeper whipped off the bails in a flash.
In the same over, Nadeem dismissed Krunal Pandya for a duck, caught at short mid-wicket by Kane Williamson.
Ishan kept the scoreboard ticking along with Kieron Pollard before getting bowled by Sandeep. The West Indian went on to hammer a 25-ball 41 with four sixes and two fours.
MUMBAI INDIANS
Rohit Sharma c Warner b Sandeep 4 (7b), Quinton de Kock b Sandeep 25 (13b, 2x4, 2x6), Suryakumar Yadav st Saha b Nadeem 36 (29b, 5x4), Ishan Kishan b Sandeep 33 (30b, 1x4, 2x6), Krunal Pandya c Williamson b Nadeem 0 (3b), Saurabh Tiwary c Saha b Rashid 1 (3b), Keiron Pollard b Holder 41 (25b, 2x4, 4x6), Nathan Coulter-Nile c Garg b Holder 1 (3b), James Pattinson not out 4 (5b), Dhawal Kulkarni not out 3 (2b), Extras (lb-1): 1; Total (for eight wkts in 20 overs) 149
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12 (Rohit, 2.3 overs), 2-39 (de Kock, 4.4), 3-81 (Suryakumar, 11.1), 4-81 (Krunal, 11.4 ), 5-82 (Saurabh, 12.1), 6-115 (Kishan, 16.3), 7-116 (Coulter-Nile, 17.2), 8-145 (Pollard, 19.3)
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD BOWLING
Sandeep 4-0-34-3, Holder 4-0-25-2, Nadeem 4-0-19-2, Natarajan 4-0-38-0, Rashid 4-0-32-1.
TOSS: SRH
