IPL14: 2021 Match 9 
Mumbai Indians VS Sun Risers Hyderabad Played on 17 April 2021 
Mumbai Indians (MI); 150/5 in 20 Overs (Quinton de Kock 40, Keiron Pollard 35, Rohit Sharma 32, Vijay Shankar 2/19, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/ 29)
Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH):  137 All Out In 19.4 Overs (Jonny Bairstow 43, David Warner 36, Vijay Shankar 28, Rahul Chahar 3/19, Trent Boult 3/28)
MI Won by 13 Runs

Reigning Champions MI are gathering momentum. After losing their match of IPL 2021 they have won two on the trot throttling SRH in their chase of a modest score of 150/5 that MI scored. SRH was squeezed with smart bowling and sharp fielding as they were bundled out for 137. MI won by 13 runs.

Over the past few days IPL matches is witnessing scores around 140-150 being defended in dramatic fashions. Teams batting first are also not managing big scores. It is raising curious questions about fairness of the matches. All teams have assembly of quality batsmen at the top and power hitters in the middle and late order.  But possibly for rustiness and may be for sluggish nature of the wickets batsmen are not being able in playing strokes freely. 

Batting first MI started well with Rohit and Q de Kock racing to 55 by the 7th over. Rohit was first to go falling to potential future Indian all rounder Vijay Shankar after soring 32. MI innings could not gather momentum as two blooming youngsters Surya Kumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan failed shining on the day. Yadab fell to Shankar and Afghan freak spinner Mujeebur Rahman picked up Ishan. SRH bowlers seized control. Scoring rate dropped significantly. Q de Kock (40) also could not convert his good start to a big innings as he also fell to deal with Mujeeb. The scorecard read 114 /4 in the 17th over. Still some enterprising batting by usually flamboyant Keiron Pollard (35 not out in 22 deliveries) raised the score to 150/5 by the 20th over. Vijay Shankar taking 2/19 and Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/29 were the key to restricting MI to a chase able score. 

SRH chase was on course with David Warner (36) and Jonny Bairstow (43) sprinting to 65 by the 8th over. But once the partnership was broken through Jonny Bairstow getting out hit wicket off the bowling of Krunal Pandya panic set in SRH camp. One after another wickets started falling as if cookies crumbling. Only all rounder Vijay Shankar scoring 28 could raise some hope. Chahar taking 3/19 and Trent Boult also taking 3/28 ensured that Sun did not rise for Sunrisers of Hyderabad. SRH was bundled out for 137 runs. It was another case of small score defended. 

Curious questions now is that why middle order and late order batsmen of all teams struggling in scoring runs for every team though opening batsmen and top order are making smooth starts. How it is possible that scores around 150 in most matches are successfully defended. MI appeared to have two lucky escapes against KKR and SRH. Some observers may smell rats also. 

BDST: 1145 HRS, APR 18, 2021
SMS