IPL 2024: MI batter Suryakumar Yadav enters 7K T20-run club with blistering 52 vs RCB

Match 25 of the IPL 2024 edition saw the Mumbai Indians (MI) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by seven wickets in pursuit of 197 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday (April 11). Opting to bowl first, Hardik Pandya-led MI rode on Jasprit Bumrah's 5 for 21 to restrict Faf du Plessis-led RCB for 196 for 8 despite fifties from the skipper (61),Rajat Patidar (26-ball 50) and Dinesh Karthik's 23-ball 53.

In reply, MI chased down the score in mere 15.2 overs courtesy of Ishan Kishan's 34-ball 69, Rohit Sharma's 38 and Suryakumar Yadav's 19-ball 52. This was Surya's second game of the season, having made a comeback in his side's previous encounter (versus Delhi Capitals -- where he was out for a duck). Coming through after facing several injury issues, SKY missed making a mark versus Delhi but came to his usual best against Bengaluru. His inningwas laced with 5 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 273.68.

Courtesy of his knock, Surya also joined the elite 7,000-run club in the T20s, becoming the fourth-fastest Indian to do so. Surya achieved the feat in his 249th innings, whereas KL Rahul remains the fastest Indian in this arena, having earned it in his197th inning. Virat Kohli -- India's leading run-getter in T20Is -- entered the 7K-run club in his 212th outing.

Indians with 7,000-plus runs in T20s

Virat Kohli - 12,313
Rohit Sharma - 11,312
Shikhar Dhawan - 9,797
Suresh Raina - 8,654
MS Dhoni - 7,310
Robin Uthappa - 7,272
Dinesh Karthik - 7,224
KL Rahul - 7,192
Suryakumar Yadav - 7021

At the post-match presentation, Surya said, "It's always good to be back at Wankhede, when the tournament started I was mentally here only, although physically in Bangalore (recovering from the injury), it felt like I never left. When you are chasing 200, it is important to know the dew factor and take your chances, both Rohit and Ishan did the job for us at the 10th over mark and we only knew that we had to finish early for that net run rate thing."

He added, "I just try to play to the field and practice these shots and it is just muscle memory (talking about his freak shots) and I go out there and enjoy myself. The slice over point is the one that I enjoyed the most."

Meanwhile, Bumrah earned the Player-of-the-Match award for his brilliant spell versus RCB, who are now in the ninth spot with only one win from six games. MI, on the other hand, have moved to the seventh spot and will now host arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 29 on Sunday (April 14).