Mumbai, on Thursday, survived a 71-run blitz from Sunrisers batsman Manish Pandey to clinch victory in a Super Over finish and qualify for the Indian T20 League play-offs.
AFP / Indranil Mukherjee
The match had ended in a tie after Hyderabad, chasing 163 for victory, finished their 20 overs on 162 for six, with Pandey unbeaten in his 47-ball knock at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
South Africa's Quinton de Kock stood out for Mumbai with his 69 not out to guide the three-time champions to 162-5 after electing to bat first in the Twenty20 tournament.
Paceman Jasprit Bumrah then returned figures of 2-31 from his four overs and also restricted Hyderabad to just eight runs in the Super Over. He was named man of the match. The Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad could not play out their six deliveries in the one-over eliminator after losing two wickets in four balls.
"We are rewarded for some real hard work we have put in throughout the tournament. We played consistent cricket and have the results for it," Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said after the thrilling win.
"Bumrah has been brilliant for us. He keeps improving and he is hungry for more.
"Quinny (Quinton) has been really good for us but we need help from the other batters," Sharma said of his wicket-keeper batsman who has amassed 462 runs in 13 games.
Hardik Pandya came in to bat along side Kieron Pollard for Mumbai in the Super Over and hit leg-spinner Rashid Khan for a six on the first ball. He then took a single and Pollard completed the win on the third delivery as Mumbai joined table-toppers Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals for the play-offs.
"A fantastic effort to get so close from Manish and the lower order. It was a pretty good first half but we couldn't get over the line," said Williamson.
"Rashid is world class and we thought he was our man. When it gets down to the last ball, it's a shame. But there is a game left."
Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Kolkata and Punjab are all in the race for the one remaining play-off spot. The world's most popular T20 tournament ends with the final in Hyderabad on May 12.
