IPL 2014: Simmons, Rayudu star in Mumbai's 7-wicket win over Sunrisers

Ambati Rayudu’s knock of 68 got the Mumbai Indians home safely. Pic. Courtesy: BCCI

Hyderabad, May 12 (IANS) A 130-run partnership between Lendl Simmons (68) and Ambati Rayudu (68) helped Mumbai Indians register a convincing seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here Monday.

Electing to bat, Australian duo Aaron Finch (62) and David Warner (55 not out) powered the Sunrisers to 157 for three in 20 overs.

West Indies’ Simmons and Rayudu combined brilliantly upfront bringing about the 130-run partnership in just 87 balls as Mumbai eased to 160 for three in 18.4 overs.

Mumbai’s chase, though, started on a disastrous note with opener C.M. Gautam (1) being dismissed in the second over.

Simmons and Rayudu however snatched the initiative right back in Mumbai’s favour with some aggressive batting.

While the latter smashed seven boundaries and two sixes, Simmons collected five fours and cleared the field four times.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s pin-point yorker castled Simmons while Rayudu fell to Moises Henriques’s brilliant return catch.

Captain Rohit Sharma (14 not out) along with Kieron Pollard (6 not out) added the finishing touches to give Mumbai the crucial win that took them to six points.

Earlier, Finch and captain Shikhar Dhawan (11) got Hyderabad off to a flyer with a 31-run opening stand off 30 balls.

Dhawan, though, once again failed to make use of a good start and threw his wicket away.

Lokesh Rahul (10), who has impressed in the tournament, was unlucky to be run out. That set the stage for Australia’s explosive batsman, Warner, who announced his return to form with a blistering 55 off just 31 balls.

Finch, who was the more sedate of the two, and his compatriot strung together 63 runs for the third wicket.

Warner finished the innings off in style, smashing 18 runs of Pollard’s final over.