It was raining records at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad with the hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clinching a 31-run victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 8 of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) mind-boggling batting rewrote the record books on a batting belter. By posting 277 for three, SRH now have the highest team score in the history of the Tata IPL – beating Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) 263 for five from the 2013 season. In reply, MI made a spirited effort, and at one stage, were contenders to do the near impossible. In the slog overs, the enormity of the target proved a bit too much, and SRH clinched victory, but not without numerous nervous moments. 

To put into perspective the carnage we witnessed – Heinrich Klaasen’s 23-ball half-century was the slowest fifty of the SRH innings. Travis Head, playing his first match for SRH, raced to the milestone in 18 balls. Abhishek Sharma got there even faster – in 16 balls – to record the quickest fifty by an SRH batter in IPL history. 

Hardik Pandya, the MI captain, won the toss and chose to bowl first. Kwena Maphaka was brought into the side in place of Luke Wood to make his Tata IPL debut – one of the youngest in the tournament’s history at the age of 17—and was handed the new ball. 

SRH took charge early courtesy of Travis Head, who got going from ball one, driving one off the backfoot for four in the first over. Pandya brought himself on for the second over and Head smashed one like a bullet through mid-on, but it burst through Tim David’s hands to go to the boundary. 

A 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 for @SunRisers 🧡

Travis Head is back in #TATAIPL & how! 🔥

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Head made MI pay for that dropped catch as he cut, drove and flicked with ease. There were occasions when he also glided the ball over short third-man for four. With Head going strong at one end, Mayank Agarwal tried to break free at the other, but Pandya had him dismissed in the fifth over when he tried to pull him over mid-on. 

That brought Abhishek Sharma to the wicket – who matched Head shot for shot. The sweeps over the leg-side were eye-catching in particular, as he picked up seven sixes during his innings. Head was dismissed for a 24-ball 62 in the eighth over when he tried to hit one over backward point. By then, SRH were already 113. 

Abhishek Sharma's scintillating knock comes to an end but he's put @SunRisers on 🔝 with his astonishing strokes 🔥

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Abhishek’s dazzling show continued as he kept putting pressure on the MI bowlers. At the halfway mark, SRH got close to 150, and the record seemed to be under threat. Abhishek’s power-packed 63 ended when he tried to clear wide long-on but was caught in the deep. 

If MI thought they could now make inroads, they ran into Klaasen and Aiden Markram. Klaasen continued from where he left off in Kolkata. Markram held one end and farmed the strike, attacking only on a few occasions. It was Klaasen who kept the momentum with SRH and continued to trouble the MI bowlers. The 116-run unbeaten stand took SRH to the record score, with Klaasen racing to 80 off 34 balls, featuring seven sixes. 

The moment when @SunRisers created HISTORY!

Final over flourish ft. Heinrich Klaasen 🔥

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At the half-way stage, not many would have given MI a shot at the Mount Everest of Tata IPL. However, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma took a leaf out of SRH’s book and essayed some great shots to power MI to a great start. Kishan’s pyrotechnics helped MI race to 50 inside three overs. He was soon dismissed for a 13-ball 34. The following over, Rohit was dismissed for a 12-ball 26, trying to pull across the line to Pat Cummins. With MI at 66 for two in the fifth over, SRH had made a comeback. 

MI’s young brigade in the middle order ignited their hopes again, continuing the charge and taking on the SRH bowlers. Naman Dhir (30 off 14 balls) and Tilak Varma (64 off 34) put on an aggressive 84-run stand in a little over six overs. As a result, MI raced to 150 in the 11th over, with the impossible looking possible. 

Tilak Varma has kept the run chase alive with cracking strokes 👌👌

Mumbai Indians 119/2 after 9 overs 💪

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Tilak’s knock stood out for its class, as he was equally attacking through the leg and off-side. A cover drive that went for six off leg-spinner Mayank Markande stood out. Varma got to his fifty in 24 balls. 

However, Dhir’s dismissal in the 11th over put the breaks on MI. Pandya promoted himself in the batting line-up and got off to a great start with a six and four off Markande. SRH then slowed the scoring rate with a five-run over in the 13th. Tilak tried to go big off Cummins but holed out in the 15th over. 

From there on, SRH took control as MI couldn’t find the boundaries regularly. Jaydev Unadkat had a massive role to play for SRH, as he conceded only 19 runs off his last two in the slog overs and accounted for Pandya’s wicket. Cummins and Markande then completed the formalities for SRH. 

This match witnessed 523 runs being scored and 38 sixes hit across the two innings – both being records in a Tata IPL match and T20 cricket overall. The SRH fans rejoiced in a victory to start off their home leg in the Tata IPL 2024 as the statisticians updated all their record books.