Slowly but surely, the Mumbai Indians are rediscovering their rhythm.
After managing just one win in their first four games, MI have bounced back in style with two consecutive victories to breathe life back into their IPL 2025 campaign.
Their fighting spirit came to the fore against Delhi Capitals, where they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a thrilling finish -- capped by a hat-trick of run-outs as DC's lower order imploded in dramatic fashion.
With renewed confidence, MI then outplayed last season's runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad on a sluggish Wankhede pitch which test the batters' patience and timing.
The slow, two-paced surface neutralised SRH's explosive top order, limiting them to 46 for no loss in the Powerplay despite their aggressive batting reputation.
While Jasprit Bumrah wasn't quite at his peak, he made clever use of the conditions with subtle variations, especially slower deliveries, to keep the SRH batters on their toes. He ended with a tidy figures of 1/21 from four overs -- but the real star with the ball was England's Will Jacks.
Jacks steps up with the ball
Jacks -- who was signed on by Mumbai Indians for Rs 5.25 crore (Rs 52.5 million) after beating stiff competition from his previous franchise RCB -- has been regarded as one of the brightest T20 all-round prospects from England.
26-year-old Jacks burst onto the IPL scene last season with RCB, smashing a whirlwind century. He had outclassed Virat Kohli, smashing his way to 100 off just 41 balls with 10 sixes, to help in a record chase of 201 against the Gujarat Titans in 16 overs.
That knock drew comparisons with the great A B de Villiers, and RCB hailed him as AB's 'successor' on social media.
It continued his dream run with the bat in T20 franchise cricket last year, with centuries in the IPL, SA20 and Bangladesh Premier League within three months.
However, this season, Jacks had struggled to make an impact with the bat, managing modest scores of 11, 16, 5, 22 and an unbeaten 1 in his first five matches. But against SRH, he delivered a timely all-round show that justified MI's faith in him.
Match-winning all-round show
After leg-spinner Karn Sharma left the field without bowling a single over because of injury, part-time off-spinner Jacks -- primarily a hard-hitting top order batter, had an important role to play with the ball and he did his job to perfection.
He broke through in his second over, when he got Ishan Kishan stumped for 2 and then dismissed Travis Head for 28 after he tried to accelerate but holed out to long-off.
He was the most economical bowler for MI with figures of 2/14 in three overs but was surprisingly not called up to bowl his final over.
With the bat too, he played a decisive role. He came at a crucial juncture in the contest when Rohit Sharma perished for 26 in the fourth over.
He got a lifeline early on when he was put down by Head in the covers off Mohammed Shami in the fifth over.
He had another close shave when the inside edge off leggie Zeeshan Ansari narrowly missed the stumps.
But once settled, Jacks opened up confidently, striking a six each off spinners Ansari and Rahul Chahar. He top-scored for MI with a brisk 36 from 26 balls, setting up a comfortable chase, and was rightly adjudged Player of the Match.
Bumrah back in the groove
Jasprit Bumrah's return to form will be a major relief for Mumbai.
After getting hammered in the previous match against Delhi Capitals, Bumrah returned with a tight spell against SRH even though he didn't have many wickets.
Back in the team following his lengthy injury lay-off, Bumrah looked closer to his best -- mixing his pace smartly to exploit the conditions and keep the SRH batters guessing.
Bumrah registered tidy figures of 1/21 in his four overs, including eight dot balls. The only boundary he conceded during his spell was a top edged boundary by Abhishek Sharma.
Crucially, he removed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen for 37 in the penultimate over while conceding just four runs -- stalling SRH's momentum at the death and restricting them to 162/5.
Mumbai Indians' pace quartet of Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult and Hardik Pandya combined change of pace with sharp execution. They collectively gave away just 30 runs off 36 slower balls. In contrast, SRH's pacers were predictable, conceding 60 runs off 33 slower deliveries.
This was MI's 29th successful run chase at the Wankhede -- the most by any team while chasing at a single IPL venue.
SRH's woes continued as they suffered their fifth defeat in seven games. They remain the only team not to win a single game away from home this season.
Photographs: BCCI
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