Rohit, Rickelton hammer toothless LSG as MI snap losing streak at home

Nicholas Pooran returned to form with a blazing 21-ball 63, setting the tone for LSG's 228/5. However, with their bowlers repeatedly erring in lengths on a surface with little mercy for pacers, Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton turned it into a one-sided contest with a 143-run opening stand off 65 balls to ensure MI crossed the line with eight balls to spare and six wickets in hand — their first win at the Wankhede this season. It was the highest total chased down by MI, and the sixth-highest ever by any team in the IPL.

Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 228/5 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 63 (21), Mitchell Marsh 44 (25); Corbin Bosch 2-20, Raghu Sharma 1-36) lost to Mumbai Indians 229/4 in 18.4 overs (Ryan Rickelton 83 (32), Rohit Sharma 84 (44); Manimaran Siddharth 2-47) by 6 wickets

While the opening pair of Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma deserved credit for their 143-run stand that set up MI's win, the bowlers' contribution in two specific phases — middle (overs 12-15) and death (overs 17-20) — was hard to overlook. In those seven overs combined (two each from Bumrah, Raghu Sharma, Deepak Chahar, and one from Ghazanfar), they conceded only 42 runs, proving a big difference-maker in a contest where nearly 460 runs were scored.

Both teams made several changes. MI saw the return of former captain Rohit Sharma from injury but were without skipper Hardik Pandya (back spasm). Josh Inglis debuted in IPL 2026, opening with Mitchell Marsh. He crunched three boundaries in four balls but miscued a carrom ball off Ghazanfar for an early dismissal.

Pooran shook off his rustiness and joined the act, ensuring Inglis' early fall didn't derail momentum. Will Jacks' offspin proved ineffective, allowing Pooran to crunch three sixes. He continued against Ghazanfar in the next over, taking him for 19 runs. Marsh smoked Bumrah's slower delivery for a six down the ground and muscled two more boundaries. Bumrah's two Powerplay overs leaked 31 runs as LSG picked up 90 from the first six overs — their most in an IPL innings.

LSG showed no signs of slowing down, smoking their 10th six midway through the eighth over. However, Corbin Bosch provided the breakthrough. Pooran was rushed into a pull and edged to the keeper, and Marsh nailed a pull straight to deep midwicket. Both set batters departed in the same over, but their 94-run alliance set the stage for a massive total.

Did MI pull back the scoring rate?

Not immediately. LSG picked 14 runs each in the two overs after the dismissals. But once Akshat Raghuwanshi was sent back, the momentum was sucked out by Ghazanfar, Bumrah, and Raghu Sharma, who conceded only 20 runs in four overs.

Could they have done better?

Definitely. Bumrah had Himmat Singh nicking to the keeper but overstepped — a recurring concern this season. It was one of three no-balls in the innings, taking his tally to seven, more than twice that of the next highest.

Did that no-ball prove costly?

For a while, yes. Himmat, batting on 2 off 4 then, added 21 more off the next 12 deliveries, clubbing Ghazanfar and Raghu for sixes. But Chahar and Bumrah resorted to yorkers in the last three overs, as Himmat and Aiden Markram struggled, picking up only 23 runs off the last 20 balls, with only one boundary.

Like he was never away…

Rohit took time to get going but showed few signs of rustiness. After confident punches, his first boundary came off an edge. His first authoritative shot came in the third over, lifting Shami for a six over deep midwicket. Rickelton had raced to 30 off 12 balls, but Rohit's attack began in the last over of the Powerplay, taking Avesh Khan apart for two boundaries and two sixes off successive deliveries.

Did they slow down after the Powerplay?

Not at all. They shifted to a higher gear. Even as MI were slower than LSG in the Powerplay, the openers kept pace with the required rate, taking advantage of the flat surface. Rohit, especially, took advantage of yorkers landing as low full-tosses, clubbing seven sixes — his most ever in an IPL innings.

In a space of three deliveries, both Rickelton and Rohit brought up their half-centuries, with Rohit launching Manimaran Siddharth over long on for a six. The duo plundered 143 before Rickelton hit one straight to Inglis at extra cover off the penultimate ball of the 11th over.

Was there any way back for LSG?

Not at all. Full tosses continued to be dished out, and Rohit found vintage rhythm, plundering 34 more (alongside Tilak Varma) in the next three overs before top-edging a sweep to short fine leg, ending 16 short of a century. His 84 was the highest by an MI batter against LSG.

By then, the requirement had dropped to 52 runs in six overs with eight wickets in hand. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak attempted to measure the attack but both departed in their bid to hit big. Victory was inevitable, and Will Jacks and Naman Dhir took the side over the line.

Where do they stand on the table?

MI remain at 9th on the points table despite the win. LSG, with only two wins in nine games, are still at the bottom.

Where do the teams head from here?

Both teams face RCB next. LSG host RCB on Thursday (May 7), while MI enjoy a long break before facing RCB in Raipur on Sunday (May 10).