In a match that had everything—except a result for the home fans—Mumbai Indians found themselves on the wrong end of a run-fest at the Wankhede Stadium. Ryan Rickelton played the innings of a lifetime, smashing an unbeaten 123 off just 55 balls to power MI to a massive 243/5. It was the kind of knock that usually wins you games. But in the IPL, no total is safe, especially when Sunrisers Hyderabad are the ones chasing.

And chase they did. In signature explosive fashion, SRH's opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma turned the chase into a batting exhibition. Head, who had been struggling for form, roared back with a blistering 76 off 30 balls, featuring four boundaries and eight towering sixes. He was dropped twice—by Naman Dhir at deep point and then at point—and made MI pay dearly. Abhishek Sharma complemented him perfectly with a quickfire 45 off 24 balls, and together they put on a staggering 129-run opening stand in just 52 balls.

Just when MI thought they had a lifeline, spinner Allah Ghazanfar struck twice in the ninth over, dismissing in-form Ishan Kishan for a golden duck and then removing Head soon after. For a brief moment, the home side dared to dream again.

But then came Heinrich Klaasen. Armed with a sledgehammer of a bat, the South African powerhouse smashed an unbeaten 65 off just 30 balls, laced with seven fours and four sixes. He took complete control of the chase, adding 80 runs in 40 balls with Nitish Reddy (21 off 17) and then another quickfire 36* in just 14 balls with Salil Arora (30* off 10). SRH reached the target with 8 balls to spare, finishing at 244/4 in 18.4 overs.

This win marks SRH's fifth consecutive victory, moving them up to third on the points table and putting their playoff hopes in a strong position. For Mumbai Indians, however, the picture looks grim. Stuck at ninth place, their chances of making the playoffs are all but over. On a night when a record-breaking knock went in vain, MI were reminded once again that in T20 cricket, the only thing more dangerous than a big total is a team that believes no target is too big.