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Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will face 2016 winners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ninth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai tonight.
MI are high on confidence after registering a come-from-behind victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The game seemed to have slipped out of their grasp before leg-spinner Rahul Chahar’s four-for turned the match on its head.
Meanwhile, SRH are the only team not to have won any of their two games in IPL 2021 so far. They came close against both KKR and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) before faltering at the end. David Warner’s men will be desperate to open their account on Saturday.
There is nothing to choose between the two teams in terms of their head-to-head battle, as both MI and SRH have won eight games apiece. As MI and SRH get ready to renew acquaintances tonight, let's take a look at three impressive batting performances in MI-SRH matches over the years.
#3 Kieron Pollard (MI) 66 not out off 27 - IPL 2013 (in Mumbai)
West Indies’ limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard has played some cracking knocks for MI over the years.
He was among the standout performers for MI in their first IPL-winning campaign in 2013. That season, he smashed 420 runs in 18 games at a strike rate of a shade under 150. He also chipped in with ten wickets with his medium pace.
One of Pollard’s most brutal knocks in IPL 2013 came against SRH in a game in Mumbai.
Set a challenging 179 for victory, MI stumbled to 99 for 3 in the 14th over. Apart from losing three wickets, Sachin Tendulkar retired hurt for 38 in what turned out to be his last IPL match. Pollard, though, swung Mumbai to victory with a brutal knock of 66 not out off only 27 balls.
Coming in to bat at number six, Pollard blasted as many as eight sixes and two fours. Thanks to his blitzkrieg, MI got home with seven wickets and three balls to spare. Among SRH bowlers, Thisara Perera suffered the most, going for 55 in 3.3 overs; leg-spinner Amit Mishra conceded 36 in his three.
Earlier, SRH’s total of 178 for 7 was built around Shikhar Dhawan’s knock of 59 and 40s from Hanuma Vihari and SRH captain Cameron White. In the wake of Pollard’s smashing innings, though, the trio's efforts proved inadequate.
#2 Shikhar Dhawan (SRH) 82 not out off 57 - IPL 2016 (in Visakhapatnam)
2016 was the year of SRH in the IPL, as they won their only title in the competition. Opener Shikhar Dhawan was one of their shining lights that season, scoring 501 runs in 17 games while notching up four fifties.
Dhawan’s best knock during that campaign came against MI in Visakhapatnam. SRH were asked to bat first after MI won the toss. Dhawan led the charge for SRH with a stroke-filled 82 not out off 57 balls.
The SRH batsman struck ten fours and a six during his knock as his team posted a challenging total of 177 for 3 on the board.
Dhawan featured in an opening stand of 85 with his captain David Warner, who contributed 48 off 33 balls. Yuvraj Singh also chipped in with 39 off 23 as SRH ended their innings with a flourish.
In response, MI needed someone to do a Dhawan. Instead, their batting line-up could score only ten more than what Dhawan alone managed. The five-time champions were rolled over for a paltry 92 in 16.3 overs.
Ashish Nehra and Mustafizur Rahman claimed three wickets apiece for SRH, while Barinder Sran chipped in with two. Harbhajan Singh’s 21 not out was the top score in MI’s innings.
#1 David Warner (SRH) 90 not out off 59 - IPL 2016 (in Hyderabad)
If Dhawan was impressive in IPL 2016, SRH captain David Warner was outstanding. He led from the front with the bat, amassing a stellar 848 runs during the season at a strike rate of 151.42 and scoring as many as nine half-centuries.
One of his dominating knocks that season came in the clash against MI in Hyderabad. SRH were set a target of 143 after an impressive bowling performance. Warner asserted his authority with a stroke-filled 90 not out off 59 balls.
The only way MI could have stayed in that contest was by taking early wickets. Instead, Warner hit seven fours and four sixes in his knock to destroy MI's faint victory hopes.
While Tim Southee, with excellent figures of 3 for 24, stood out for MI amid the Warner carnage, most of the other bowlers had to bear the brunt of the SRH captain’s knock. Mitchell McClenaghan went for 33 in 3.3 overs; Harbhajan Singh was taken for 38 in his four, and Hardik Pandya conceded 29 in three.
Earlier in the day, Barinder Sran claimed 3 for 28 as SRH restricted MI to a disappointing 142 for 6. Ambati Rayudu (54) and Krunal Pandya (49 not out) were the only significant contributors for MI. Once Warner got into overdrive in the chase, there was no stopping SRH on the night.
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