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IPL PHOTOS: Simmons, Rayudu keep Mumbai in the hunt
Mumbai Indians rode on a brilliant 130-run stand between Ambati Rayudu and Lendl Simmons to register a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday.
After restricting Sunrisers to 157-3 on a slow surface, Mumbai got off a tricky start, losing CM Gautam early. But Simmons and Rayudu put their heads down and revived the innings.
Rohit Sharma finished the game for Mumbai to hand them their third victory, with eight balls to spare.
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Sunrisers off to a decent start
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bat first. The were off to a decent start after opener Aaron Finch made his intentions clear with a brilliant straight drive off Corey Anderson.
He repeated the stroke in Anderson’s second over.
Shikhar Dhawan hit the boundary boards, when he chipped down the track and helped himself to a streaky boundary off Harbhajan Singh.
But Dhawan didn’t last long as the southpaw was comprehensively bowled by Lasith Malinga for 11.
He was undone by a yorker length ball which crashed onto the middle stump.
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Finch, Rahul steady Sunrisers
Finch looked in good touch from the outset as he counter-punched Pragyan Ojha.
He hit a six and boundary off the bowler's opening over as Sunrisers quickly shrugged off the jolt.
Finch repeated the feat off Ojha’s second over as the opener nearly cleared the ground.
Rahul too wasn’t far behind as he creamed one over mid-off for a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah.
However, Rahul succumbed to a misunderstanding with Finch and was run-out for 10.
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Finch, Warner accelerate
Finch soon completed his half-century with a single off Ojha. The Australian achieved the milestone off 41 balls, hitting six boundaries and two sixes.
Warner, who has been in good touch in the tournament, took advantage of a long hop and dispatched it to boundary.
He then took advantage of a Malinga full toss and smashed it to boundary.
The duo added 63 runs for fourth wicket, before Finch was caught in the deep by Kieron Pollard off Malinga.
Warner then hit couple of boundaries off final over as Sunrisers cross the 150-run mark.
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Bhuvneshar removes Gautam early
Defending a par score, Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided the opening breakthrough.
He had CM Gautam walking back after the batsman hit one straight down Shikhar Dhawan’s throat at mid-off.
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Rayudu, Simmons pull things back
He and Rayudu started off slowly against some quality bowling of Dale Steyn and Bhuvneshwar.
But once the two bowlers were taken out of the attack, they pounced on rest of the pack.
Simmons laid into Irfan Pathan, cracking him for couple of sixes and boundary as Mumbai got the much-needed momentum. The West Indian soon brought up his first half-century of the season with a boundary off Steyn.
Rayudu too bring up his half-century with a boundary off Mishra.
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Quick wickets leave the match in balance
Bhuvneshwar, in his final over, struck as he removed Simmons for 68.
The batsman looked to play one fine, ended up missing and the ball crashed onto the stumps.
Mosies Henriques then had Rayudu walking back for 68.
Rohit Sharma ensured Mumbai stayed calm and finished the game off with a boundary off Karn Sharma.