After Mumbai Indians (MI) overcame Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), opener Ryan Rickelton lavished praise on the man at the other end, calling him \u201cone of Mumbai\u2019s greatest\u201d and \u201cone of India\u2019s greatest.\u201d Stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, highlighted the entertainment Rohit Sharma brought to the Wankhede Stadium crowd as MI chased down a formidable target of 229 set by LSG, finishing the game with six wickets to spare.<\/p>\n
Rohit, affectionately known as \u201cMumbai cha Raja,\u201d had missed five matches because of a hamstring problem. But he returned with the kind of batting display that befits a franchise icon, powering the chase alongside Rickelton. The pair struck up an explosive partnership, with Rickelton smashing 84 off 44 deliveries, including six fours and seven maximums, as MI looked increasingly in control of the chase.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the match, Player of the Match Rickelton reflected on the partnership and what it means to bat with Rohit. He said, \u201cOne of Mumbai\u2019s greatest, one of India\u2019s greatest. I really enjoy spending time out there. We are fortunate to get the wickets here. The Wankhede has been really good, and we\u2019ve been able to dovetail quite nicely\u2014putting bowlers under pressure at the right moments and helping each other along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rickelton also pointed to the nature of the Wankhede pitch, noting that its pace and the way the ball comes off the bat make it a venue where scoring opportunities open up quickly. He added that the IPL has become especially ruthless in the way teams chase big totals these days, and suggested that strong starts play a decisive role. \u201cThe IPL is ridiculous in the way that these chases are being done nowadays,\u201d he said. \u201cLike Surya said, if you have a good start, it sets the platform. And I think that\u2019s the trend in this team. We might not have lived up to it so far this year, but the power we have from number 3 down to 7, 8, 9\u2014the batters, the class and the caliber\u2014is through the roof. So if we can set a good platform and win the powerplay, it doesn\u2019t mean my job is done, but with the class lined up behind, it makes my role a lot clearer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suryakumar explained that once LSG got off to a solid start, it did not feel like MI were facing anything new, given they have encountered similar situations repeatedly during the season. He stressed that during the middle overs\u2014particularly between overs seven and ten\u2014bowlers can pull things back, which MI did by bringing Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh into the attack during the ninth over.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way all the bowlers responded, I think they showed a lot of character,\u201d Suryakumar said. \u201cAbout 8-9 overs, they were 110 or 120 for 1 or 2\u2014at least, I don\u2019t really remember. But then from there, pulling it to 162 for 5 in 16 overs, I think the performance was unbelievable. Everyone had belief, and they had clear plans. I didn\u2019t tell them anything\u2014there was just little, little backing in a few situations. But in the end, the character they showed and the way they bowled was commendable.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also referenced a recent high-scoring chase at the same ground, mentioning that MI had seen Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) successfully chase a total in the 240-odd range at Wankhede. That experience, Suryakumar said, helped reinforce the idea that 229 was attainable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way we started our batting, Ryan Rickelton has been batting beautifully,\u201d Suryakumar added. \u201cAnd as I said, at the toss, our very own Rohit Sharma was coming back into the side\u2014fit, ready, raring to go. The way he displayed himself and showed entertainment to the crowd was unbelievable. (On the opening stand) I think it\u2019s always important to have a good start when you\u2019re chasing 200-225. And the way they batted together, it looked like they were always in control. What the team required from them, they did the same thing. And then at the end, the way Naman Dhir and everyone batted\u2014it was nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the points table, MI sit in ninth place with three wins and seven defeats, while LSG are at the bottom with two victories and seven losses.<\/p>\n
Earlier, LSG set their challenge after MI opted to bowl first. Nicholas Pooran top-scored with 63 off 21 balls, striking a four and eight sixes, while Mitchell Marsh made 44 off 25 deliveries with six fours and three maximums. Himmat Singh contributed 40 not out from 31 balls, including two fours and two sixes, as LSG finished on 228\/5.<\/p>\n
MI then chased the target with ease, driven by a 143-run stand between Rickelton and Rohit. Rickelton struck 83 off 32 balls, hitting six fours and eight sixes, while Rohit produced 84 off 44 balls, with six fours and seven sixes. The chase was completed in 18.4 overs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After Mumbai Indians (MI) overcame Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), opener Ryan Rickelton lavished praise on the man at the other end, calling him \u201cone of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"MI vs LSG: Rickelton Praises Rohit After 229 Chase","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Rickelton heaps praise on Rohit Sharma as MI chase 229 vs LSG at Wankhede, sealing a six-wicket win with skipper Suryakumar\u2019s spotlight moments.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n