In the 41st game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a stunning chase of 243 and a six-wicket victory against the Mumbai Indians.

The once-difficult target soon turned into an exhilarating exhibition of aggressive hitting.

SRH demonstrated their resolve in chasing 244 from the start. Abhishek wasted no time in unleashing a six off Jasprit Bumrah, the champion of the T20 World Cup, after hitting Trent Boult over covers in the first over.

Soon after, Head joined in, hitting Boult with a series of boundaries, including a slice over backward point that went for six through Naman Dhir’s hands, followed by two more hits over deep point and backward point. After three overs, SRH surged to 43 for 0.

Mumbai’s effort to retaliate with spin failed, as Abhishek and Head destroyed Will Jacks in the fifth over, hitting 19 runs with strong strikes. Head was able to find the boundary frequently, although even Mumbai’s powerplay bowler AM Ghazanfar was unable to stop them.

After five overs, SRH’s score had risen to 74/0, and it then increased even more by scoring 28 runs off Bumrah in his first two overs, which included a 99-meter six that went straight down the field. By the end of the power play, SRH had scored 92 for 0 in six overs, which was the joint-best score MI had ever given up during this period.

Head was especially unstoppable, scoring a 20-ball half-century as Abhishek hit him shot for shot. The needed rate was less than 10 runs per over at one point, while SRH was scoring at 15. 75 runs per over.

But when Ghazanfar took two wickets in as many balls, dismissing Abhishek (45) and the in-form Ishan Kishan (0), the game briefly changed course. Head (76) was then dismissed by Hardik Pandya, giving MI a ray of hope.

However, Klaasen ensured that there was no long-term recovery. Before smashing four boundaries off Ashwani Kumar in a single over, he hit Ghazanfar over midwicket and deep midwicket.

Klaasen maintained his excellent season by hitting a half-century in 22 deliveries, then scoring another 19 runs in the next over from Ghazanfar, bringing the tide back in favor of SRH.

With a brief cameo from Salil Arora, who hit 14 off 6 balls, he concluded his innings undefeated at 65.

Previously, Mumbai had a solid score of 243/5, thanks to a strong century from Ryan Rickelton and a strong start with Jacks. The pair mounted a strong counterattack against Pat Cummins after a cautious start, scoring 21/0 in two overs and then 78/0 by the conclusion of the powerplay, which was their second-highest this season, at a run rate of 13.

Rickleton replicated Jack’s 46 runs from 22 deliveries, which included five fours and two sixes, with 37 runs from 18 balls, which included three fours and three sixes.

Rickelton then increased the tempo, scoring a half-century in 23 balls and driving MI beyond 100 in only 7. 4 overs, which was their quickest performance of the year. Rickleton continued to perform well, even though he lost wickets at the other end, including those of Suryakumar Yadav, Jacks, and Naman Dhir.

He faced each bowler with confidence, especially hitting 22 runs off only seven balls against Harsh Dubey at a strike rate of 314. 3. In an amazing innings, he smashed the quickest century ever by a Mumbai Indians player in just 44 balls, as MI scored 202/3 in 16 overs. Rickelton continued to the end, increasing MI’s score to 243/5, with the support of Hardik’s 31 off 15 in a 56-run partnership.

Led by Head, Abhishek, and Klaasen, SRH’s exceptional batting ensured that even a massive total of 243 was insufficient on a night when scoring over 200 seemed commonplace, raising the bar for T20 chases at Wankhede.

Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 243/5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out, Will Jacks 46; Praful Hinge 2-54, Nitish Reddy 1-31)
Sunrisers Hyderabad 249/4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65; AM Ghazanafar 2-51, Hardik Pandya 1-39)