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The Secrets Behind MI's Bowling Success on Slow Tracks

18 Apr, 2025 5:28 AM, Fri

The Secrets Behind MI's Bowling Success on Slow Tracks

Yeah — that game really showed how smart game management can make the difference, especially on a surface that didn’t behave like a typical Wankhede belter! Mumbai Indians' decision at the toss pretty much set the tone. On a slowish pitch, their bowlers nailed their lengths and variations, especially the off-speed deliveries — and Will Jacks stepping up with the ball was a huge bonus. Getting those 3 tight overs from him against an all left-handed SRH top-order gave MI so much control. Even though SRH’s openers Abhishek and Head got some early luck, they could never fully shift gears, and MI’s pace attack, led by Bumrah, strangled the scoring. The real difference came in the death overs when MI looked like they could’ve restricted SRH to 145-ish, but Klaasen and Cummins gave them a mini-boost at the end. And then in the chase, the timing of the Impact Player substitution was spot on — replacing Karn’s bowling loss with Rohit Sharma’s batting was a clever move, and once MI's top order chipped in, the target looked below par, especially once dew started settling. Yeah, that whole SRH innings felt like a classic case of “start-stop” cricket, didn’t it? The pitch really exposed how dependent SRH’s top order has been on hitting through the line — and at Wankhede, of all places, the slowness completely messed with their timing. Travis Head’s struggles were especially telling. On most days, if he gets a no-ball reprieve on the boundary, you’d expect him to make the bowlers pay, but even after that lifeline, he just couldn’t find rhythm — 28 off 29 says it all. And Abhishek Sharma was the only one who looked remotely fluent until Hardik got him. Speaking of Hardik, that little injury scare when he pulled up after his delivery stride was a real heart-stopper for MI fans. But the way he shook it off and then bounced back to get Abhishek shows how vital he is to the side’s balance, both as a leader and a bowler. And Will Jacks — this was the game where he truly announced himself for MI, especially with the ball. He came on right after the powerplay, targeted the left-handers perfectly, used the grip, and his dismissal of Ishan Kishan and Head just underlined the control MI had through the middle overs. Honestly, the only time SRH looked like they’d break free was when Klaasen and Aniket finally started swinging freely at the death — those late sixes made 162 look semi-respectable, but the pitch never really offered enough for them to defend. Want me to sketch out MI’s remaining fixtures or run through their playoff chances from here? It’s getting to the juicy part of the season! Yeah — that last stretch of SRH’s innings really underlined how much the conditions shifted once the dew crept in. Those seven full-tosses in the final three overs were a dead giveaway that the bowlers had started struggling with their grip, especially under pressure at the death. And you're spot on: even Bumrah, who usually turns full-tosses into unplayable weapons, sneaked one in — but, of course, he still outfoxed Klaasen. Classic Bumrah. That 19th over was probably the decisive blow, too — 47 runs off the last three would've looked like a strong finish on paper, but that four-run penultimate over sucked all the wind out of SRH’s sails. MI could walk into the chase knowing the pitch was easing out and dew was making life a little easier. Rohit’s cameo felt like vintage Rohit at the Wankhede — those short-arm pulls and that lucky six off the edge really set the tone. And Rickelton's odd slice of luck with Klaasen’s glove no-ball was just another reminder of how fine the margins are sometimes. But MI never looked like they’d lose control, even with a few wickets falling. Between Jacks' all-round show, Bumrah’s ice-cold death overs, and the batting depth MI showed, this was probably one of their most complete team efforts this season. Yeah, that 52-run stand between Jacks and Suryakumar was absolutely the heart of the chase — both of them were so smart in picking their moments, especially against the leggies. On a pitch still offering some turn, they managed to keep the pressure firmly on SRH by targeting anything even slightly off in line or length. That little burst of four sixes in those three overs felt like the point where SRH’s hopes really started fading. And Hardik’s finishing touch was classic Hardik — that back-foot punch for four off Cummins was as clean as it gets. Even though Malinga's 18th over created a final twist with those two wickets, MI had already done too much damage earlier for it to matter. Overall, this win will give MI a lot of confidence — not just because they won, but because their bowlers adapted well on a slow pitch and their batters showed patience and sharpness chasing under lights. Two wins on the bounce now — they’re starting to click just in time for the mid-season playoff push. Mumbai Indians 166 for 6 (Jacks 36, Rickelton 31, Cummins 3-26, Malinga 2-36) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 162 for 5 (Abhishek 40, Klaasen 37, Jacks 2-14) by four wickets

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Rank Team Rating Points
1 India 122 5117
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3 South Africa 112 3357
4 Pakistan 106 2762
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1 Babar Azam 824
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1 K.A. Maharaj 716
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1 R. Ashwin 870
2 J.J. Bumrah 847
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5 P.J. Cummins 820
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4 West Indies 252 11604
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2 S.A. Yadav 842
3 P.D. Salt 816
4 Babar Azam 755
5 Mohammad Rizwan 746
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1 A.U. Rashid 719
2 Rashid Khan 681
3 P.W.H. De Silva 674
4 J.R. Hazlewood 662
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1 P.W.H. De Silva 222
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