A dream debut by the 22-year-old Alzarri Joseph fashioned Mumbai Indians’ remarkable 40-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL contest at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Saturday.
The West Indies speedster finished with stunning figures of 3.4-1-12-6, the best in the IPL, bettering Sohail Tanvir’s six for 14 for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in the 2008 edition.
Sunrisers’ fragile middle-order stood exposed once the big guns failed at the top. For the first time in this edition, Sunrisers lost the explosive opening pair in the PowerPlay overs.
The host was reduced to 39 for two after Jonny Bairstow sliced leg-spinner Rahul Chahar to point and David Warner was bowled off the inside edge in Joseph’s first over in the IPL.
Failing to capitalise
Manish Pandey failed to thrive on the dropped chance — Kieron Pollard floored a sitter at long-off off Rahul Chahar when the batsman was on zero. He fell for 16. Yusuf Pathan was dismissed for a four-ball duck by Chahar.
Joseph struck a double blow in the 16th over, removing Deepak Hooda and Rashid Khan to push the home team to the brink.
The West Indian sealed the issue in quick time, sending back Mohammad Nabi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul.
Earlier, Mumbai, asked to take first strike, put up a disappointing display.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, who was dropped on zero by Kaul at third-man off the fifth ball of the innings off Bhuvneshwar, perished soon, falling to off-spinner Nabi.
Seamer Sandeep Sharma trapped Suryakumar Yadav in front and Kaul sent back Quinton de Kock whose lofted shot went straight to the fielder in the deep.
Mumbai was 52 for three in 10 overs and was tottering at 86 for six in 16.3 overs.
The turnaround
The big-hitting Pollard’s brilliant onslaught, which included a one-handed six over long-off off Kaul, propelled the side to 136 for seven, a total that looked impossible at one stage.
Kaul and Bhuvneshwar leaked 39 in the final two overs as Mumbai won by 40 runs.