Mumbai Indians faced a tough challenge in the IPL 2024 season as they suffered their second successive defeat, this time against SunRisers Hyderabad by 31 runs. The match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium witnessed a record-breaking display of power hitting, with a total of 528 runs and 38 sixes in a high-scoring encounter.
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Setting a new IPL record, SunRisers Hyderabad posted a total of 277 runs on the scoreboard. Mumbai Indians put up a strong fight in response, managing to score 246 runs but ultimately falling short. It was a challenging night for the bowlers, with Mumbai Indians' young talent Kwena Mapahaka conceding 66 runs on his IPL debut, and experienced bowler Piyush Chawla gave 34 runs in just 2 overs. Even the usually brilliant Jasprit Bumrah struggled, conceding 9 runs per over.
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Despite the defeat, Mumbai Indians displayed fighting spirit with strong performances from Tilak Varma, former captain Rohit Sharma, and Ishan Kishan. This helped minimize the impact on their Net Run Rate.
This early stretch of the season has presented a significant test for Mumbai Indians, particularly following the surprise captaincy shift to Hardik Pandya. Both Pandya and team mentor Sachin Tendulkar aimed to lift the team's spirits after the loss.
"In the second half, in spite of scoring 277, 10 overs down the line nobody knew who was a clear winner. The game was very much open. The target was very much achievable. That's a clear-cut sign that we've batted really well. So let's stick together. Tighter. There are going to be tougher moments. We will stick together as a group and pull it through," Tendulkar said.
"Toughest soldiers get the toughest test. And we are the toughest team in the competition. Anyone who would have come even close to where we reached, as a batting group or as just overall Mumbai Indians, are us. Something I am really proud of is our bowlers. Even when the day was tough, I didn't see no one running away. Everyone wanted the ball and that's a good sign. So let's make sure that we help each other throughout whatever happens. Worst. Bad. Good. We will manage it together," MI skipper said.
Looking ahead, the team is determined to bounce back in their upcoming home opener against Rajasthan Royals on April 1.
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