Sunrisers spank MI by 85 runs to jump to top spot

VISAKHAPATNAM: Ashish Nehra produced a sensational spell of pace bowling after Shikhar Dhawan shone with the bat with a scintillating unbeaten 82 as Sunrisers Hyderabad spanked Mumbai Indians by 85 runs in a lopsided IPL match and jumped to the top of the league table here today.

Sunrisers posted a challenging 177 for 3 with opener Dhawan remaining not out on 82 off 57 balls, studded with 10 fours and a six, after being put into bat and then senior pacer Nehra (3/15) triggered a Mumbai top-order batting collapse with a 12-ball spell of thee wickets to help the home side notch up an easy win.

Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who has been in brilliant touch this season, also scalped three wickets for 16 runs as he cleaned up the Mumbai lower order.

With the win today, their sixth in nine matches, the Sunrisers jumped to top spot with 12 points. They are levelled on points with Kolkata Knight Riders but above them on net run rate. Mumbai remained on fifth with 10 points from 10 matches.

Mumbai made a disastrous start in their run chase as they were reduced to 30 for five inside five overs with Nehra scalping three top-order batsmen in 12 balls and they never recovered from there at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. (AGENCIES)