Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets in a high-scoring IPL 2026 match at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday (May 4).
Invited to bat first, the visitors racked up a formidable 228/5 on the board, driven by quickfire contributions from Nicholas Pooran (63 off 21) and Mitchell Marsh (44 off 25). After LSG got off to a blistering start, MI bowlers pulled things back effectively, allowing them to score only 68 runs in the last 8 overs.
In reply, Rohit Sharma (84 off 44) and Ryan Rickelton (83 off 32) starred with rapid fifties, sharing a 143-run opening stand to help the hosts reach the target in 18.4 overs.
Speaking after the game, Suryakumar Yadav, who stepped in to lead MI because regular captain Hardik Pandya was unwell, praised his bowlers for staying calm despite LSG's rapid start.
"To be very frank, we've been in this situation a lot of times this season. It was nothing new, to be very honest. But then I knew, T20 cricket after the powerplay from 7 to 10, that's the best time when you can pull the game off. We knew two wickets here and there, and I can take control of the game. And the way all the bowlers responded, I think they showed a lot of character," Suryakumar said while speaking at the post-match presentation.
“I think about 8-9 overs, they were 110 or 120 for 1 or 2. I don't really remember. But then from there, pulling it to 162 for 5 in 16 overs, I think the performance was unbelievable. Everyone had that belief, they had their clear plans. I didn't tell them anything. It was just little, little backing involved in few situations. But then at the end of the day, the way they displayed their character and the way they bowled, I think commendable,” he added.
Reflecting on the chase, Suryakumar mentioned that MI had earlier posted 244 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and still ended up on the losing side, which reinforced the belief that even a 220-plus target can be achieved.
The stand-in skipper praised Rickelton and Rohit for their opening partnership which provided a solid foundation, and acknowledged the quick finish by Naman Dhir (23 off 12) and others.
“See, even we scored 244 a few days back and Sunrisers chased it. So we always knew, anything around 220-225-230 will be chaseable. And the way we started our batting, Ryan Rickelton, he has been batting beautifully. And as I said, at the toss, our very own Rohit Sharma coming back into the side, fit, ready, raring to go. And the way he displayed, the way he showed the entertainment to the crowd, I think it was unbelievable.
“It's always important to have a good start when you're chasing 200-225. And the way they batted together, it looked they were always in control. What team required from them, they did the same thing. And then at the end, the way Naman Dhir and everyone batted, I think it was nice,” he concluded.
This result kept MI’s playoff hopes alive, while LSG remain rooted to the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table.
