Malinga all over the Sunrisers

Mumbai, April 25 

Sri Lankan Malinga grabbed his season’s best four for 23, including three wickets in his last over, while New Zealander Mcclenaghan picked up three for 20, which included Shikhar Dhawan’s scalp, to restrict the Sunrisers to 137 for eight, chasing a target of 158.

The Sunrisers lost their way after a brisk opening stand between left-handers Dhawan, who top-scored with 42 off 29 balls, and David Warner (9). Once these two departed within a short span to leave the Sunrisers reeling at 52 for two in six overs, the other batsmen did not prove to be good enough.

Earlier, electing to bat, MI rode on opener Lendl Simmons’s 51 off 42 balls and some useful contributions from skipper Rohit Sharma (24) and West Indian Kieron Pollard (33) to reach a total of 157 for eight.

The victory, which was only their second of the season in seven games, helped MI stay afloat in their quest to reach the play-offs. This was Sunrisers’ fourth defeat in six games.

Chasing the target, the visitors got off to a fine start with Dhawan scoring at a fast pace.

The India opener struck Harbhajan Singh for three fours and a six in the bowler’s second over to banish the offie from the attack.

Warner, watching from the other end, also hit Harbhajan for a four but then holed out to third man off a short ball from Malinga. 

Then Dhawan departed, caught at short mid-wicket, while pulling Mitchell McClenaghan. MI sensed a whiff of a chance with the visitors at 52 for two at the end of the powerplay and applied pressure on the new batsmen Lokesh Rahul and Naman Ojha with some tight bowling and sharp fielding.

Ojha fell to the strategy of the Mumbai Indians, as he needlessly gave the charge to left arm spinner and was consumed at long-off. — PTI

Scoreboard

Mumbai Indians

L Simmons b Steyn 51

P Patel c Vihari b Steyn 17

U Chand c Dhawan b P Kumar 5

R Sharma c B Kumar b K Sharma 24

K Pollard b B Kumar 33

A Rayudu c Boult b B Kumar 7

Harbhajan c B Kumar b P Kumar 0

J Suchith not out 9

Vinay c Ojha b B Kumar 0

M McClenaghan not out 1

Extras (lb 1, w 9) 10

Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 157

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-49, 3-100, 4-108, 5-126, 6-128, 7-149, 8-149 

Bowling

T Boult 4-0-27-0

B Kumar 4-0-26-3

D Steyn 4-0-38-2

P Kumar 4-0-35-2

K Sharma 4-0-30-1

Sunrisers Hyderabad

S Dhawan c Malinga b McClenaghan 42

D Warner c Rayudu b Malinga 9

K Rahul c Rayudu b McClenaghan 25

N Ojha c Pollard b Suchith 9

R Bopara c Pandya b McClenaghan 23

G Vihari c Patel b Malinga 16

K Sharma not out 2

P Kumar b Malinga 0

D Steyn c Pollard b Malinga 0

B Kumar not out 6

Extras (lb 2, w 2, nb 1) 5 

Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 137 

Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-52, 3-68, 

4-104, 5-126, 6-127, 7-127, 8-127

Bowling 

Harbhajan 4-0-36-0

M McClenaghan 4-0-20-3

L Malinga 4-1-23-4

J Suchith 4-0-25-1

Vinay 4-0-31-0

MoM: Lasith Malinga