IPL 2023: Suryakumar hundred trumps all-round Rashid in Wankhede run-fest

May 13, 2023 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – It was another day of batting dominance at the Wankhede, right from the toss, as the Gujarat captain won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Wankhede, preferring to know what to chase. However, the brilliant unorthodoxy of Suryakumar Yadav saw him bring up his first-ever IPL hundred, which lifted the Mumbai Indians to 218-5. A ruthless bowling performance, at least in the initial phase of the total defence, gave them a cushion for Rashid’s pyrotechnics at the end, as they eventually coasted to a comfortable win.

A glimpse of THERohit Sharma…

It might have come against his team, but Hardik Pandya had to show his appreciation for Suryakumar Yadav’s top knock. (AFP/Getty Images)

It was a sight to behold. It has been for 16 years, since he first wore the India jersey, but nothing quite matched the lofted six over extra cover off the bowling of Mohammed Shami. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan had gotten the Mumbai Indians to a rollicking start, and this time, Rohit Sharma wasn’t quiet, carting the Gujarat Titans bowlers all around the park. However, it was just a glimpse, because…

The Rashid phenomenon and the recovery… the usual suspect, Rashid Khan got rid of Rohit Sharma off the first ball after the powerplay, and dismissed Ishan Kishan later the very same over. He went on to pick up the wicket of Nehal Wadhera soon, putting the Mumbai Indians in a spot of bother, as Suryakumar Yadav and Vishnu Vinod slowly started to build a partnership. Rashid ended with figures of 4-30 amidst the bloodshed. However, the duo of Vinod and SKY turned over the strike and hit the odd boundary, keeping the run-rate above 10 runs per over for most of the innings, before…

The SKY exhibition…

Suryakumar Yadav got to another brisk 32-ball fifty. Vishnu Vinod and Tim David were dismissed at the other end, but SKY had decided to go one better this time – a milestone he has already achieved for the other ‘Indians’ he represents. In a typically graphic massacre of the bowlers, Suryakumar Yadav brought up his second fifty off just 17 deliveries, carting the bowlers to all parts. Batting on 87 at the beginning of the final over, he struck two sixes, including one off the final delivery that took him from 97 to 103, and earning him a milestone that had eluded him so far.

The Titans capitulate…

It was a tame surrender early on. The scoreboard pressure was showing, as the trio of Saha, Pandya and Gill departed within the powerplay, and the top-ranked team (not to mention, defending champions) were struggling to hit the ball off the square. There was the odd epiphany, such as Vijay Shankar’s boundary barrage, but they were all short-lived. David Miller and Rahul Tewatia managed to put on 45 for the 6th wicket, but they were both dismissed off consecutive deliveries which had them reeling at 100-7, all but sealing Gujarat’s fate.

The well-nigh miracle: Rashid’s resurrection

Since the Mumbai Indians had rendered his efforts with the ball futile, Rashid Khan came out swinging with his bat. Coming in with the score reading 100-7, needing 119 to win off 47, Rashid bludgeoned ten sixes and wiped the smiles off the faces of the Mumbai Indians, giving them a scare of a lifetime. Such was the sustenance of Rashid’s destruction that it wasn’t until the penultimate over that it was theoretically impossible for the Gujarat Titans to pull off a miracle. Rashid ended with 79* off 32 balls, and couldn’t prevent a loss, but potentially reduced the margin significantly, which might be crucial if it were to come down to net run-rate in the end. (Cricbuzz)

• Nehal Wadhera, Pandya and Gill, Saha, The Titans capitulate, Wankhede