SKY's maiden IPL century trumps Rashid Khan show in Mumbai’s win

On Friday evening at the Wankhede Stadium, Suryakumar Yadav provided more proof of his batting genius. Treating the home crowd to an exhilarating exhibition of 360-degree batting, the Mumbai Indians star floored Gujarat Titans with a power-packed unbeaten 103 off just 49 balls.

With just one ball left in the innings to get his maiden IPL century, the talismanic batter got to the mark with a six in trademark fashion, stepping across and getting down on his back knee to sweep it over the backward square-leg boundary. The shot was greeted with a deafening roar, so far only reserved for Sachin Tendulkar specials, by the Wankhede crowd.

Thanks to Yadav's pyrotechnics, MI amassed 218/6 after being put into bat. It left the Titans with the challenge of achieving the second-highest successful chase in the IPL to win. They eventually managed 191/8, losing by 27 runs. In a tight fight for qualification, it was a crucial win for Mumbai, who jumped to the third spot with 14 points after 12 games.

The visitors were in a spot of bother immediately after being reduced to 12/2 after 2.3 overs. With their prolific opener Shubman Gill also falling early, after six overs, Titans had reached 48/3.

After 10 overs, they were 82 for five, needing 137 off 60 balls. However, with their two best finishers, Rahul Tewatia and David Miller, out in the middle they still had hope. Pacer Akash Madhwal delivered the final blow by trapping Miller leg before in the 12th over to reduce Titans to 100/6. Rashid Khan hit a few big blows to score 79 (32 balls) but the target was way beyond him and GT.

The crucial period of play was in the final five overs of the Mumbai innings. A superb 16th over by pacer Mohit Sharma, for just two runs and a wicket, and a tight 17th over by Rashid, for 11 runs and a wicket, had raised Titans' hopes of a good display in the death overs. The shift in momentum, however, was dramatic. Having taken his time to settle down in his rhythm, Yadav turned into an unstoppable force.

Having joined him at the start of the 18th over, Cameron Green had the best seat in the house. In their sixth-wicket partnership of 54 runs in 18 balls, Yadav got 50 from 15 balls while Green's contribution was three off three balls.

As he walked back to the dressing room, his opponents too rushed to congratulate the man. Speaking to the broadcaster, Rashid Khan called it an "Unbelievable" innings. "That's how he plays in this format, and that's what he's known for," said Rashid.

Mohit came under heavy fire from Yadav in the 18th over. In an exhibition of how to improvise, he collected 20 runs. Starting with a four to third man, he hit the next ball to cover, moved across to the off, and got down on his knee to sweep it over the square-leg fence before finishing by beating the backward point fielder with a cut shot.

In the penultimate over, Mohammed Shami couldn't stop Yadav either. The pacer was taken for 17 runs as the 200 of the Mumbai innings was brought up. The last over started with Yadav on 87 (44 balls). Alzarri Joseph managed to deny him a boundary hit for the first three balls, but the fourth ball was flat-batted straight into the sight screen to move to 95. Next ball, Yadav got a double to get to 97. With just a ball left, he didn't disappoint his home crowd, by smashing a six.

In 12 innings, Yadav now has 479 runs, scored at a strike rate of 190.83, at an average of 43.55. This after an iffy start to the tournament.

It was a day when everything clicked for Mumbai. There were cameos from Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan to provide a brisk start of 61 in six overs. The move to play Vishnu Vinod (30 off 20 balls) in middle order also worked.

Rashid was the only bowler to hold his own against Yadav & Co, finishing with four wickets for 30 runs. Spearhead Mohammed Shami had an off day, going wicket-less while conceding 53 runs.