Indian superstar Suryakumar Yadav added an 'incredible' IPL century to his three T20I tons as Mumbai Indians smashed ladder-leaders Gujarat Titans despite Rashid Khan's heroics
Match Report:
ScorecardAussies watch on as super SKY smashes maiden IPL ton
Indian superstar Suryakumar Yadav has slammed his maiden Indian Premier League hundred to catapult his Mumbai Indians into the tournament's top three.
Mumbai's Australian duo of Tim David (5 off 3) and Cameron Green (3no off 3) were mostly spectators as Suryakumar, affectionately known as SKY, blazed six sixes and 11 fours to lift the Indians to their fifth 200-plus total in their past seven matches.
The 32-year-old T20 specialist has already hit three international centuries in the shortest format but this was his first in the IPL in his 135th match.
Needing 13 from the 20th over of Mumbai's innings to reach three figures, Suryakumar started the final over at the non-striker's end before managing just two off the second and third deliveries after Green scored a single off the first.
He then went into boss mode, smashing Gujarat Titans' Alzarri Joseph for six, two, six to bring up his century off 49-balls, reaching the milestone off the final ball of the innings with his trademark paddle sweep over square leg to send a packed Wankhede Stadium into a frenzy.
We won’t get tired of saying: Surya, tula 🙏#OneFamily #MIvGT #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #IPL2023 @surya_14kumarpic.twitter.com/5l9FP6bbn3
%E2%80%94 Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 12, 2023
Suryakumar finished unbeaten on 103 striking at 210 in the home side's commanding 5-218, with Ishan Kishan's 20-ball 31 the next best score in an opening partnership of 61 with skipper Rohit Sharma (29 off 18).
West Australian David was out off the final ball of the 17th over as he spooned a leading edge back to star Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan (4-30) before Suryakumar faced 15 of the next 18 deliveries for 50 runs, including four sixes, to motor to his hundred.
"The way Suryakumar played, it was just unbelievable," Rashid said.
"All around the ground, it was pretty hard as a bowler to bowl to someone like him, but some of the shots were unbelievable and that's how he plays in this format and what he's known for."
Rashid's four wickets took him to the top of the wickets tally in IPL 2023 with 23, two ahead of fellow leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who on Thursday became the competition's leading wicket-taker of all time with 187.
Rashid also starred with the bat, blasting an incredible 10 sixes in a whirlwind 32-ball 79 not out to restore some respectability to the scoreboard.
Three of those sixes came in a 20-run final over, but it was too little, too late after he arrived at the crease at the end of the 12th over with Gujarat struggling at 6-100, reaching 8-191 after Rashid's cameo to finish 27 runs short.
It was the 24-year-old's highest score of his career in any format and highest by a No.8 in IPL history.
"You can say that it was one of my best T20 innings," Suryakumar said after being awarded player of the match.
"Because whenever I get runs, I only think the team should win … so very happy at the way things went.
"There's a lot of practice that goes behind (my 360-degree game), so when I come to the game, I am very clear in my mind and I just go out and express myself."
Mumbai's fourth win in their past five matches has lifted them to third in the season standings on 14 points with two matches to play, two points clear of Rajasthan Royals in fourth.
Despite the loss, Gujarat remain one point clear at the top of the table with 16 points.
IPL 2023 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
GUT
|
14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.809 | 0 | 20 |
|
2
CSK
|
14 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0.652 | 0 | 17 |
|
3
LSG
|
14 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0.284 | 0 | 17 |
|
4
MI
|
14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.044 | 0 | 16 |
|
5
RAJ
|
14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.148 | 0 | 14 |
|
6
RCB
|
14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.135 | 0 | 14 |
|
7
KKR
|
14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | -0.239 | 0 | 12 |
|
8
KXI
|
14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | -0.304 | 0 | 12 |
|
9
DEL
|
14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | -0.808 | 0 | 10 |
|
10
SUN
|
14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | -0.59 | 0 | 8 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
Aussies in IPL 2023
Delhi Capitals: Mitch Marsh ($1.2m), David Warner ($1.16m)
Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade ($446,000)
Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis ($1.7m), Daniel Sams ($135,000)
Mumbai Indians: Tim David ($1.53m), Cameron Green ($3.15m), Jason Behrendorff ($135,000), Riley Meredith ($272,000)
Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis ($135,000), Matt Short ($36,000)
Rajasthan Royals: Adam Zampa ($270,000)
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Josh Hazlewood ($1.4m), Glenn Maxwell ($2m)
Figures represent auction price in Australian dollars at time of sale