Published: April 30, 2026 at 12:21 am
Sunrisers Hyderabad rocked their way to a thumping six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians as they made light of the highest-ever run chase in the IPL at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday night.
Sunrisers Hyderabad rolled their way to five wins on the trot and surged to the third spot on the IPL points table. Mumbai Indians, who are consigned to yet another loss in this miserable season, are ninth in the table with four points.
Opener Travis Head had been having a very quiet IPL 2026 while Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen were having a ball in the park. The Australian had enough of the quietness and made a bang at the Wankhede which blew Mumbai Indians out of the ground.
Sunrisers Hyderabad cheerleaders celebrate their team’s six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday night
“If you see the total every team is scoring, you have to step up and do it for your team. I always try to get something out of Head, but he is quiet (and does his talking with the bat). Philosophy we have been using is to just see the ball and hit it. we always just congratulate each other on fifties and hundreds, and nothing else. We watch the ball and react,” said Abhishek.
Head begins the chase in rousing fashion
Chasing a stiff 245 for victory, the Sunrisers Hyderabad Openers began in a rousing fashion with Head in splendid touch. For a change, Abhishek played second fiddle to Head, who was in a rampaging mood. The duo added 129 in just 8.4 overs or 52 balls to set the tone for a thunderous chase which reverberated across the Arabian Sea.
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The partnership was dominated by Head, who scored 75 (4×4, 8×6) off 28 balls, while Abhishek made 45 (4×4, 3×6) off 24 balls. But within the span of six balls, Sunrisers lost three wickets in the form of Abhishek, Head (76) and Ishan Kishan (0) to leave them delicately placed at 133 for three.
Heinrich Klaasen finishes the job with an unbeaten 65
“Tough to start with, but knowing our line-up and the pitch, few things had to go right but thought it was chaseable. When the pitch is good, they (openers) have so many different shots. Glad I am not bowling to them. They (youngsters) are super aggressive. They have a fearless attitude. Now, even 12 an over, you can chase as a batting unit, so you have to reset your expectations as a bowling unit,” said Sunrisers’ captain Pat Cummins.
Klaasen finishes the job
But crisis man Heinrich Klaasen steadied the nerves in the dressing room as he took charge of the proceedings. The South African added 80 for the fourth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 21. The partnership came off 40 balls with Klaasen contributing 56 off 23 balls.
After Nitish fell, Klaasen and Salil Arora finished it in grand style, especially with the latter’s sparkling fireworks that lit up the summer sky. Klaasen remained unbeaten on a 30-ball 65 with seven fours and four sixes, while young Salil struck three sixes and two fours in his 10-ball unbeaten 30 as Sunrisers replied with 249 for four in 18.4 overs. Salil finished the game with a four and two sixes in the 19th over.
Heinrich Klaasen and Salil Arora (30 not out) took Sunrisers Hyderabad home with eight balls to spare
“No, not really. Big gap at cow corner so had to take a risk early. Wicket was good. They had a quality bowling attack, so had to take a chance and see if we could make light work of it. It is always fun, you can feel them (Abhishek and Head) putting the bowlers under pressure. If they are going (at a brisk rate), it makes your job easier. (On Arora) I told him that he does not have to worry. He asked me if he could hit it (when 11 were needed off 12) and I said yes – finish the game,” said Klaasen, who was named Player of the Match.
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Earlier, Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bat first. The move seemed to pay off as openers Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton got their side off to a flying start as they piled on 93 in 7.1 over before Jacks (46) fell.
Rickelton slams century but knock goes in vain
Thereafter, it was Rickelton all the way as Suryakumar Yadav (5), Naman Dhir (22) and Tilak Varma (7) failed to get going. Hardik Pandya (31) played a cameo, but it was left to Rickelton to help Mumbai put up a big score.
Rickelton carried his bat and ended up scoring 123 out of 243 for Mumbai. He set the powerplay up, he kept going through the middle and despite being bogged down by the heat, he found the energy to find the fence right at the end.
“I don’t think dew played much of a role, just that they played some good shots, we bowled bad balls. I enjoyed and had fun on the ground today. 244 – I will back my bowlers to stop it. But we could not execute,” Pandya said.
Ryan Rickelton scored an unbeaten 123 as Mumbai Indians made 243 for five against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday night. Pics: BCCI
Eshan Malinga was once again the most economical bowler for Sunrisers. His four overs cost only 29 and fetched a wicket. Pat Cummins too restricted MI as he gave under just 10 runs per over.
“Big credit to the bowlers, the way they have stepped up. That is the reason we are winning games. It is a tough job. We are asking a lot of them but the way Malinga, Pat and others are keeping it simple…the way Pat is talking to the bowlers, it is effective,” said Abhishek.
Brief scores: Mumbai Indians 243 for five in 20 overs (Will Jacks 46, Ryan Rickelton 123 not out, Naman Dhir 22, Hardik Pandya 31; Praful Hinge 2/54) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad 249 for four in 18.4 overs (Abhishek Sharma 45, Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out, Nitish Kumar Reddy 21, Salil Arora 30 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
