Green stars as Mumbai down Hyderabad on IPL anniversary
Australia’s Cameron Green hit his maiden half-century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and took one wicket to lead Mumbai Indians to a 14-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The day – 18 April – marked the 15th anniversary of the T20 league, which began in 2008 and has grown to be the world’s richest cricket tournament.
Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai remain the most successful franchise with five trophies in the men’s edition and moved to sixth in the 10-team table after three successive wins.
Green, a big buy for Mumbai after being bought for $2.11 million in the auction, steered the team to 192-5 with an attacking 64 following his promotion to number three in Hyderabad.
Aiden Markram-led Hyderabad were bowled out for 178 in 19.5 overs despite a whirlwind 36 by Heinrich Klaasen and Mayank Agarwal’s 48.
Needing 20 in the final over, Mumbai handed the ball to Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, and the left-arm quick bowled a perfect over and got his maiden IPL wicket to seal the match.
But it was the 1.98m (6 feet, 6 inches)-tall Green, who stood out with key partnerships including a stand of 56 off 28 balls with Tilak Varma, who hit a 17-ball 37.
Green struck three successive boundaries to reach his maiden IPL fifty and followed it up with a six and along with fellow Australian Tim David took the total past 190.
South African’s left-arm quick Marco Jansen took two wickets but missed a face off with his twin brother Duan Jansen, who made his IPL debut for Hyderabad in the previous match but did not make the XI for this game.
In Hyderabad’s chase, Arjun started with the new ball for Mumbai to bowl two economical overs in his second IPL outing after his debut on Sunday.
But it was Jason Behrendorff’s left-arm pace that got two key wickets including Hyderabad’s England import and previous-match centurion Harry Brook for nine.
Wickets kept tumbling and Green worked with the ball as well when his pace bowling got Markram back in the pavilion for 22.
Klaasen and Agarwal attempted to raise the hopes in their stand of 55 but their departure triggered the final slide for Hyderabad.
Behrendorff and impact player Riley Meredith claimed two wickets each while David took four catches.