Mumbai Indians Take Final IPF Playoff Berth

Mitchell McClenaghan and Lasith Malinga’s fast-bowling clinic saw Mumbai Indians batter Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets and seize the final IPL play-off spot.

McClenaghan (3-16) and Malinga (2-17) helped the visitors skittle shell-shocked Sunrisers - who would have made the knockout phase themselves with a win - for a paltry 113, a score Mumbai chalked off with 37 balls remaining.

Mumbai’s comprehensive triumph secured them second spot in the standings and a showdown with table toppers Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday, leaving Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals to contest the eliminator a day later.

Sunrisers were immediately on the back foot after winning the toss and electing to bat, with Malinga and McClenaghan dismissing Shikhar Dhawan (1) and David Warner (6) with the sixth and seventh balls of the match respectively.

Eoin Morgan (9) was one of a host of Hyderabad batsmen to fail – England’s ODI skipper another of McClenaghan’s victims - and only three late boundaries by Dale Steyn (19no from 11) dragged the hosts above the 100-run mark.

Mumbai opted not to select new recruit Alex Hales, despite the England batsman smacking six sixes from as many balls for Nottinghamshire in the T20 Blast on Friday night en route to an unbeaten 86.

Hales was not missed, however, as the team’s usual opening partnership, Parthiv Patel (51no 37) and Lendl Simmons (48 from 44) mixed big hits with speedy running to add 106 for the first wicket.

Simmons was removed by the expensive Karn Sharma (1-38 from 2.5 overs) with eight runs still needed, but Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma smashed his first ball for six and the away side wrapped up the win shortly after to reach the play-offs for the sixth consecutive year.