The Japan Times - Siraj, Krishna help Gujarat defeat Mumbai in IPL

Gujarat rode on Sai Sudharsan's 63 off 41 balls to post 196-8 after being invited to bat first at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Siraj then led the bowling charge to limit the opposition to 160-6 as five-time winners Mumbai went down to their second straight loss in the 18th edition of the T20 tournament.

Siraj removed the Mumbai openers to dent the chase and Krishna hurt the middle-order to return figures of 2-18.

Mumbai's former captain Rohit Sharma started on the front foot with two successive boundaries but Siraj had the last laugh as he bowled the opener for eight on the fourth ball.

Siraj was on fire when he bowled South African wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Rickelton for six as the left-hander got an inside edge on to his stumps.

Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav attempted to rebuild in a third-wicket stand of 62 until Krishna struck to remove Varma for 39.

Suryakumar hit 48 and smashed four sixes in an attempt to keep up with the ever-increasing scoring rate and along with skipper Hardik Pandya looked to pull things back.

But the bowling remained disciplined and Krishna got his reward with Suryakumar's wicket and South African quick Kagiso Rabada dismissed Pandya, for 11, as the chase fizzled out.

Earlier, Gujarat openers Sudharsan and Shubman Gill started cautiously before the two hammered 35 runs across overs five and six.

Returning Pandya cut short skipper Gill's knock on 38 when he had the attacking opener caught at deep square leg to end a 78-run opening stand.

Pandya missed his team's opening loss due a suspension from the previous edition when he was charged for a slow-over rate offence. He returned figures of 2-29 with his pace bowling.

The left-handed Sudharsan built another key stand with England's Jos Buttler, who kept up the charge with regular boundaries as he hit 39 off 24 balls.

Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed Buttler, caught behind as the Gujarat bowlers hit back.

Pandya dismissed the big-hitting Shahrukh Khan for nine and West Indies left-hander Sherfane Rutherford fell to seam bowler Deepak Chahar for 18.

Sudharsan held firm in a middle-order stutter and reached his fifty before New Zealand left-arm quick Trent Boult trapped the batsman lbw.

Disciplined bowling denied Gujarat a big finish in the final few overs but the total proved enough for the team's first win in two matches.

Y.Hara--JT