His 76* and Surya’s 68* help MI crush CSK by 9 wickets
Mumbai: Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav put on a dazzling show with the bat to guide Mumbai Indians to a resounding nine-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in a one-sided IPL clash on Sunday.
Chasing 177, MI raced to 177/1 in just 15.5 overs, with Rohit (76* off 45) and Suryakumar (68* off 30) delivering a masterclass on a batting-friendly surface.
Rohit, coming in as MI’s Impact Substitute, set the tone early, punishing anything short from CSK’s pacers and expertly sweeping the spinners. He brought up his first fifty of the season in 33 balls, eventually finishing with six towering sixes and four boundaries. The former MI skipper partnered Suryakumar in a match-winning 114-run unbeaten stand off just 54 balls, ensuring the chase was never in doubt.
Suryakumar, in sublime touch, outshone everyone with a blistering knock that included five fours and six sixes. He was particularly ruthless against the spinners, sweeping with precision and clearing the leg-side boundary at will. His second half-century of the season came in just 26 deliveries, and he closed out the game with two consecutive sixes to cap off a dominant performance.
CSK’s bowling attack had no answers. Ravichandran Ashwin (0/25) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/28) failed to make breakthroughs, while Noor Ahmad, their most successful bowler this season, was introduced only in the 10th over and went for 36 runs in three overs, including 15 in one over by Suryakumar.
Earlier, CSK rode on fifties from Shivam Dube (50) and Jadeja (53*) and a sparkling 15-ball 32 from debutant Ayush Mhatre to post 176/5. But the brilliance of Rohit and Suryakumar ensured it was never enough, as MI recorded their most clinical win of the season.
