Shikhar Dhawan led the way with a stroke-filled half-century as Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a challenging 178 for three against Mumbai Indians in their Pepsi Indian Premier League match, here today.
Electing to bat, Dhawan made a fluent 41-ball 59 laced with six fours and two sixes and later captain Cameron White played a breezy knock of 43 off 23 balls to enthrall a near sell-out crowd at the Wankhede Stadium.
Incidentally, this was the highest team total posted by the Hyderabad franchise in this edition.
Sunrisers started off well with wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel scoring a 19-ball 26 and sharing a 38-run partnership with Dhawan for the opening wicket before being caught by Ambati Rayudu off Lasith Malinga at deep square leg.
Dhawan, who had earlier smashed an unbeaten 55-ball 73 against the same opposition on May 1, then found an ably ally in next man-in Hanuma Vihari and both mixed caution with aggression to take the team's toal past 100-run mark.
Dhawan, in the process, brought up his fifty with a drive through covers off Malinga.
Both added 73 runs for the second-wicket stand before Dhawan was caught by Dinesh Kathik behind the stumps off Mitchell Johnson.
White joined hands with Vihari in the middle and continued the onslaught. White survived a chance on 27 when Rayudu spilled his catch off Johnson.
The duo put on a 55-run stand off just 34 balls for the third wicket as Hydearabd looked set for an imposing total.
However, Mumbai kept things tight in the final overs of the Hyderabad innings as Malinga came up with an economical spell, conceding just 12 runs off his two overs and picking up the wicket of Vihari, who scored a 37-ball 41.
The Sri Lankan pacer was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai Indians with two for 26 while Johnson grabbed a wicket while giving away 43 runs.
