Travis Head’s explosive 76 off 30 balls and Heinrich Klaasen’s unbeaten 65 off 30 helped Sunrisers Hyderabad chase down 244 with eight balls to spare in their Indian Premier League match in Mumbai on Wednesday. The visitors’ victory came after Ryan Rickelton struck a sensational 123 not out for Mumbai Indians—his highest score for the franchise and their quickest IPL century—taking the hosts to 243/5. Even so, on a pitch that offered little grip or resistance, SRH produced the more convincing chase, recording 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
SRH’s chase: Head and Klaasen take control
- Chasing 244, Sunrisers Hyderabad reached 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
- Travis Head set the tone early, racing to 76 off 30 balls with eight sixes and four fours.
- Klaasen finished the job with a brutal 65* off 30 deliveries, striking seven fours and four sixes.
- For Mumbai, early chances went begging, and that proved decisive in their sixth loss in eight games.
- In the third over, Trent Boult’s first delivery swung away from Head; Head mistimed the shot, but Naman Dhir failed to hold on at deep point as the ball went beyond the ropes.
- Also in the fifth over, after Head opened his stance and cut a ball in the air, the edge brushed Dhir’s fingers.
- Dhir then appeared to have another catch at point, only for the ball to come into his hands and then slip as Head completed a 20-ball half-century.
- A crucial moment followed in the third over’s second ball, when a delivery shaped away from Head off Boult; Rickelton collected it, but no one in the MI camp realised an edge had been taken.
- With the innings flowing, Jasprit Bumrah—wicketless for the match—was struck for 14 in his opening over, while Boult conceded 18 after 11 balls and Will Jacks was hammered for 19 in his first, as SRH raced to 62 in four overs.
- Even after the powerplay, MI’s Ashwani Kumar’s introduction didn’t slow the chase; SRH’s openers added 23 off him to keep the run-rate climbing.
- SRH built on MI’s 93-run opening stand (which had taken seven overs), adding 129 in just 8.4 overs to take charge, with Head consistently more dominant than Abhishek.
- Head handled Bumrah’s slower ball well, launching him for a six over mid-on in the second over and then controlling the tempo on a track that didn’t offer much.
- Abhishek attempted a big hit off Allah Ghazanfar, but sliced the ball for an easy catch at backward point.
- MI struck again soon after as Ghazanfar, after pulling out of his run-up twice, had Ishan Kishan (0) caught plumb in front with a chopping delivery onto the stumps.
- Another breakthrough arrived when Head struck a full toss straight to Jacks at extra cover, prompting MI to believe they were back in the contest.
- Klaasen quickly extinguished that hope by smashing Ghazanfar for 16 in the 11th over and adding 18 off Ashwani in the 12th, including three fours in a row.
- The contest effectively swung in SRH’s favour with the finishing burst: Salil Arora’s late cameo of 10-ball 30 not out (three sixes and two fours) came in the penultimate over as the chase closed out.
Earlier: Rickelton’s 123* powers MI to 243/5
Before SRH responded, Ryan Rickelton’s masterclass carried Mumbai Indians to 243 for five. Rickelton remained unbeaten on 123 off just 55 balls, smashing 10 fours and eight sixes to set a massive platform on a batting-friendly Wankhede Stadium surface.
The 29-year-old brought up his third century for the franchise, providing MI’s best lift of the season as they chased a turnaround with their highest total so far. He used the long handle with confidence, taking no unnecessary risks and executing his shots with conviction throughout.
Alongside Rickelton, England opener Will Jacks contributed 46 off 22 balls, while captain Hardik Pandya made 31 off 15 deliveries, striking 2 fours and 2 sixes. With a new opening combination featuring Jacks, Rickelton gave MI the urgency they had been missing for much of the campaign.
Rickelton and Jacks put on 78 runs in the powerplay and then added 93 for the first wicket in seven overs, setting the tone with fearless batting. Just as importantly, Rickelton stayed at the crease deep into the innings, his unbeaten knock acting as the glue that held MI together and kept them moving towards a strong total.
