Sunrisers Hyderabad set a blazing trail in the Indian Premier League as they soared to a monumental total of 277-3, marking the highest-ever in IPL history in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Their formidable batting performance paved the way for a thrilling 31-run victory over the Mumbai Indians in a breathtaking display of six-hit extravaganza.
Travis Head of Australia emerged as the chief architect of Hyderabad's onslaught, hammering a scintillating 62 off just 24 balls. This blitzkrieg propelled Hyderabad beyond the previous IPL milestone set by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013, who had posted 263-5.
Despite a valiant effort from Mumbai, characterised by a barrage of 38 sixes, setting yet another IPL record, their chase fell short. Tilak Varma showcased his prowess with a quickfire 64 off 34 balls for Mumbai. However, even his stellar performance couldn't salvage Mumbai's innings on a pitch favouring batsmen, especially in Rohit Sharma's milestone 200th IPL match.
Rohit, along with fellow opener Ishan Kishan, provided Mumbai with a blazing start, but the momentum waned after the initial onslaught. Tim David's late blitz added some respectability to the total, but Mumbai concluded their innings at 246-5, marking their highest IPL score.
The match witnessed an unprecedented runfest, with a cumulative total of 523 runs, setting another milestone in IPL history. Pat Cummins led Hyderabad's bowling charge with figures of 2-35, securing their maiden win of the season.
Earlier, Travis Head, benefiting from a dropped catch by Tim David off skipper Hardik Pandya's bowling, raced to his fifty in just 18 balls. Abhishek Sharma continued the onslaught, reaching his half-century in a mere 16 balls.
Hyderabad's dominance was evident from the outset, reaching the 100-run mark in just seven overs and amassing a staggering 148-2 in the first 10 overs. Abhishek's departure for a blistering 63 off 23 balls provided no respite for Mumbai's bowlers.
The deluge of boundaries continued, with Hyderabad's innings adorned with 18 sixes and 19 fours. The South African duo of Heinrich Klaasen (80 not out off 34 balls) and Aiden Markram (42) forged an unbeaten partnership of 116 runs, further demoralising Mumbai's bowling attack.
Mumbai's young sensation, Kwena Maphaka, endured a tough initiation into the IPL, conceding 66 runs in his four overs. The match also marked Mumbai's transition in captaincy, with Hardik Pandya taking the reins from the seasoned Rohit Sharma.
With both teams commencing the season with a loss each, Sunrisers Hyderabad's emphatic victory serves as a statement of intent, setting the stage for an exhilarating IPL campaign ahead.
