Mumbai Indians Hold Nerve in Tense Chase to Clinch 4-Wicket Win Over SRH

In a clash that swayed till the final overs, Mumbai Indians (MI) held their nerve to register a crucial 4-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), chasing down 163 with 11 balls to spare in front of a raucous Wankhede crowd.

This wasn’t a win built on dominance—it was a collective push, a team performance stitched together with gritty cameos, smart bowling changes, and cool-headed decision-making in crunch moments. Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya all chipped in, but it was Tilak Varma who sealed it with a reverse sweep that oozed composure.

Yet the heartbeat of MI's performance was Will Jacks—a dropped catch off the first ball of the game didn’t derail his night. He bounced back with tight overs, a handy 36 with the bat, and relentless energy in the field to bag Player of the Match.

“It’s been a bit of a frustrating journey to be honest,” Jacks admitted. “I’ve taken some time to find my rhythm in this setup. Even tonight, I started by dropping one—it came fast, I reacted late. No excuses though. Just happy I could pull it back.”

Jacks' honesty was refreshing. But so was his clarity.

“On this wicket, bowling slower balls into the pitch was the key. Not floaty slower ones—into the deck, with intent. That made it tough to get under. I’ve also been working on attacking spin more—trying to be a three-dimensional player, whatever the team needs.”

A Surface that Tested Nerves

Put into bat, SRH rode on Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 40 (28) and a steady 37 (28) from Heinrich Klaasen to post 162/5—respectable, but not quite imposing. The pitch, with its inconsistent bounce and occasional grip, demanded patience.

SRH skipper Pat Cummins felt they were about 10–15 runs short.

“You expect Wankhede to be quick and free-flowing—but today, it was anything but,” Cummins said. “It held up a bit, especially in the middle overs. We were probably a few short, and Mumbai bowled really well—they hit the right areas and denied us the big overs.”

SRH’s innings lost momentum despite a good start. Jasprit Bumrah was his usual clinical self, and Jacks, rolling his arm over, was effective in keeping the scoring rate in check.

“They shut down our hitting zones,” Cummins added. “Credit where it’s due—they played the conditions better.”

Mumbai’s reply was built on intent from the start. Rohit cracked 26 off 16, while Jacks and SKY kept the scoreboard moving. But a slight wobble came when 42 were needed off 42 balls—just enough to make the MI dugout sit a little straighter.

Hardik Pandya, however, never looked ruffled.

“That’s where we decided to absorb pressure,” Pandya said. “We didn’t want to throw it away in excitement. The message was clear—take a couple of overs, settle down, and the boundaries will come.”

And they did. Tilak Varma and Hardik himself timed the late assault perfectly, putting the game out of SRH’s reach.

Pandya also praised his bowlers for adapting swiftly to the surface.

“We kept it simple. Deepak bowled a few that held up early on, so we knew change-ups would work. But you can’t overdo it either—so we balanced it out with yorkers and hard lengths.”

Road Woes Continue for SRH

The loss continued a worrying pattern for SRH—strong at home, but faltering away.

“If you want to make the final, you’ve got to win on the road,” Cummins acknowledged. “We haven’t quite clicked away from home. That’s something we need to fix quickly.”

They now return home for their next fixture, hoping to reset.

As for Mumbai, the momentum seems to be building.

“We’re starting to click as a unit,” said Jacks. “There’s still work to do, but nights like these are special. You feel like all the hard sessions, the doubts, the long travel—it’s all worth it.”

With this win, Mumbai keep their playoff hopes alive, while SRH will need to regroup fast.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Run-Fest Expected as MI Host SRH at Wankhede