Sunrisers Hyderabad break RCB's decade-old record for highest IPL total during SRH vs MI
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) registered the highest-ever team total in Indian Premier League (IPL) history on Wednesday (March 27). The Pat Cummins-led side put up 277/3 in their allotted 20 overs against five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
With that, SRH also broke the record for the highest total in the cash-rich league. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) scored 263/5 against Pune Warriors India in 2013. Lucknow Super Giants are the other team to register 250+ runs total, with 257/5 against Punjab Kings last year.
Asked to bat first, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma helped SRH get off to a flier. Travis Head smashed 62 runs off 24 balls, hitting three sixes and nine boundaries. Abhishek Sharma also starred with the bat, smashing 63 off 23 deliveries in an innings laced with seven maximums and three boundaries. The duo shared a 68-run partnership for the second wicket as Mayank Agarwal (11 off 13) departed early.
Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram then continued the carnage by taking the MI bowlers to the cleaners. The duo put on an unbeaten 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Klaasen smashed 80 off 34, with the help of seven sixes and four boundaries. Markam also hit 42 off 28, including one six and two boundaries.
Captain Hardik Pandya, Piyush Chawla, and Gerald Coetzee picked up one wicket apiece but conceded over 11 runs an over in an off day for Mumbai.
"Was an unbelievable wicket" - Heinrich Klaasen as SRH script history in IPL
Heinrich Klaasen was delighted with his exploits with the bat and credited the groundsmen. The wicketkeeper-batter also reserved special praise for Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma who provided him and Aiden Markram with the platform to finish strong.
Klaasen said in the mid-match show:
"We got the best groundsmen in the world. Was an unbelievable wicket. They (top order batters) set the tempo at the front. There was a lot of pressure coming into this game. We have incredible batters up at the top."
Rajasthan Royals hold the record for the highest successful chase in the IPL. They achieved 226 against the Punjab Kings in 2020. MI's highest score in IPL is 235/9 against SRH in 2021.