Rohit, Suryakumar powers MI to dominant win over Chennai

Mumbai, April 20: In what turned out to be a one-sided affair between two of the Indian Premier League’s most celebrated franchises, Mumbai Indians produced a clinical display with both bat and ball to outclass arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings by nine wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday evening.
Led from the front by the ever-reliable Rohit Sharma and the flamboyant Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai made light work of the 177-run target set by Chennai, chasing it down in just 15.4 overs, leaving the capacity crowd in awe of their dominance. The duo stitched together a dazzling unbeaten 114-run partnership for the second wicket that not only underlined their authority but also exposed the lack of bite in Chennai’s bowling attack.
After Ravindra Jadeja accounted for the early dismissal of Ishan Kishan, who looked to get going but fell cheaply, it was Rohit and Suryakumar who took charge of proceedings. Rohit, batting with poise and panache, remained unbeaten on 76 off 45 balls, while Suryakumar unleashed his full repertoire to blast 68 off just 30 deliveries. The pair barely put a foot wrong, finding the gaps with surgical precision and clearing the ropes at will.
Rohit, known for his classical stroke-play, combined finesse with calculated aggression. He was fluent through the off-side, peppering the covers and point region, and equally ruthless when the bowlers erred on the pads. His innings featured a flurry of boundaries and a few elegant sixes, all timed to perfection.
At the other end, Suryakumar looked like a man on a mission. After returning to full fitness, the right-hander wasted no time settling in. His signature scoop shots and inside-out drives lit up the night, silencing the yellow-clad CSK faithful who had turned up in big numbers. His strike rate of over 220 spoke volumes about the carnage he unleashed.
Together, they not only guided Mumbai to a thumping win but also made a bold statement about their intent going forward in the tournament. Notably, the chase was completed with 26 balls to spare—a rarity against a side like CSK.Earlier in the evening, Chennai Super Kings, sent in to bat after losing the toss, found themselves in early trouble.
Their innings never really gathered momentum in the first half, struggling to string together any meaningful partnerships. However, a stabilising stand between Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja helped resurrect the innings.
Dube, ever the power-hitter, compiled a brisk 50 off 32 deliveries, lacing his knock with calculated hits down the ground and a few meaty blows over mid-wicket. Jadeja, meanwhile, played the sheet anchor’s role to perfection, rotating the strike and punishing the loose balls. His unbeaten 53 off 35 balls held the innings together at a time when the top order had failed to fire.
Making his presence felt was young Ayush Mhatre, who was drafted into the playing eleven in place of the experienced Rahul Tripathi. Batting at one-down, the right-hander showed no signs of nerves, hammering 32 runs off just 15 deliveries. (PTI)