Data Shorts: MI stiffle Travishek again

'Travishek' (Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma) share an umbilical relationship with Mumbai Indians. It was against this franchise the pair first came together in 2024, albeit not as an opening duo, and hit 68 off just 3.4 overs to set a platform for then IPL record of highest team total.

Since IPL 2024, the opening partnership has had a bigger correlation in results for Sunrisers Hyderabad than any other team: averaging 77.80 in wins and 21.23 in defeats - a whopping difference of 56.57, the highest for any team. The chasm is even starker when Travishek opens - 79.52 (run rate 14.23) in wins to 19.08 (run rate 8.20) in losses. Sunrisers need the opening pair to do well now more than before, given the predicament of their middle-order. Heinrich Klaasen had lost his rich vein of form coming into this IPL, Nitish Reddy was making a comeback from injury, and Ishan Kishan was finding his feet at new home following a few off-field issues.

Only twice have Sunrisers ended up losing after a 50-plus partnership between Head and Abhishek - both against MI at the Wankhede. Even though Mumbai conceded 50+ stands, they ensured sufficient balls were taken up as they were the slowest 50+ partnerships between the pair.

In the reverse fixture at Wankhede, the pair hit 59 runs but took 7.3 overs in doing so and needed plenty of luck going their way. Both were dropped inside the first over and the partnership survived a false shot% of 32.6, nearly one every three balls. On a sticky wicket, Mumbai seamers bowled into the pitch - as many as 28 of the 39 balls - which went for only 27 runs. The pressure was only somewhat released when they mixed it up with fuller lengths as 21 runs were taken off 11 balls fuller than good length.

Travishek partnerships vs MI

The relatively slow start ensured Sunrsers ended with a below par total of 162, which was chased down