Suryakumar Yadav keeps getting better. In one of the finest knocks of IPL 2023 so far, he blanked out Royal Challengers Bangalore with a no-holds-barred assault, heading Mumbai Indians’ chase of 200 and giving his team two crucial points – Here are the highlights from his 83 (35).
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Mumbai Indians have shaken up the points table. Languishing at eighth before this game, Mumbai leapfrogged, and how, vaulting to third on the points table. A big part of it has to do with their chasing ability: they have now hunted down 200+ targets thrice this year.
On Tuesday, they tore into RCB’s bowling attack, chasing 200 with 21 balls to spare. Off those, 83 came off Surya’s bat and included seven fours and six sixes. All five RCB bowlers finish with an economy of over 10.
Coming in with the score at 51-1 – after Ishan Kishan’s initial assault – Surya watched as Rohit Sharma fell in the same over. There was hardly any compromise on the tempo, as he warmed up only to explode later, combining with Nehal Wadhera to set up a commanding chase. At the halfway mark, MI were 99-3. They hit 101 off the next 6.3 overs.
Suryakumar took a special liking towards Wanindu Hasaranga, depositing the spinner for four sixes across two overs. Against spin, it was an exhibition of slog sweeps, each better than the last. Facing pace, Suryakumar manoeuvred the field, the way only he can.
Of his 83 runs, 57 came in the leg-side region, and 22 in the deep mid-wicket sector. Before he was dismissed, his last 20 balls accounted for 65 runs.
He finally perished in the 16th over, holing out to deep square leg, but the chase was all but over by then. He’s now hit four fifties in his last six innings.
