The Punjab Kings pulled off one of the most improbable wins you will ever see in T20 cricket when they defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs in TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) action in Mullanpur on Tuesday.
Harpreet Singh Bhatia and Sam Curran's 92-run partnership set the Kings on their way to setting a target of 215, which Mumbai briefly looked like they could knock off until Arshdeep Singh's supreme final over.
After hitting Cameron Green for four in the third over, Punjab opener Matthew Short (11) went after his fellow Australian again next ball and ended up finding only the safe hands of Piyush Chawla (2-15).
Prabhsimran Singh was going well before a swinging yorker from Arjun Tendulkar trapped him lbw for 26, while Chawla claimed both Liam Livingstone (10) and Atharva Taide (29).
The Kings' run rate slowed right down after that flurry of wickets, but Bhatia (41) and captain Curran (55) steadied the ship before stepping on the accelerator in the 16th over, hitting 31 runs from it, and a further 26 from the next nine deliveries before Bhatia played a Green ball onto his own stumps.
Curran reached his half-century before falling to England team-mate Jofra Archer (1-42), though Jitesh Sharma arrived and shone brightly but briefly as he hit 25 from just seven balls, before being bowled by Jason Behrendorff in the final over as the Kings finished on 214-8.
Ishan Kishan (1) fell early in reply, but Rohit Sharma and Green put on a partnership of 76 to take a chunk out of the imposing target.
Livingstone eventually removed Rohit for 44, caught and bowled from a sloppy shot, but Suryakumar Yadav picked up where his captain left off with a fiery innings.
Green smashed 67 from 43 balls before a slower delivery from Nathan Ellis saw him find the safe hands of Curran, but Suryakumar kept going, reaching his 50 from just 23 balls, though after getting his team back in the game, he was gone after hitting Arshdeep (4-29) straight to Taide for 57.
Tim David (25 from 13) forced a reachable final over chase, with Mumbai needing 16, but a superb six balls from Arshdeep, including two more wickets, ended any hopes as they could only manage 201-6.
Curran and Bhatia lay the table for success
It was very smart play by Curran and Bhatia to lay a calm foundation before piling on the runs, with their 92-run partnership the second-highest for the fifth wicket by a Kings duo in IPL history.
Punjab scored 96 runs off their last five overs, with only Royal Challengers Bangalore having struck more in the last five overs of an innings in IPL history (112 vs Gujarat Lions, May 2016).
Rohit reaches 250
It was a noble effort from Mumbai Indians as they chased a big target, with Green and Suryakumar making impressive contributions, though it was Rohit who achieved a notable landmark.
He became just the third batter and first Indian to reach 250 sixes in the IPL after Chris Gayle (357) and AB de Villiers (251). He is also just one maximum away from becoming just the second player to reach 200 maximums for Mumbai in the competition after Kieron Pollard (223).
Rabada took two wickets for as many runs in a Super Over to set up a victory over Kings XI Punjab in the Capitals' first game of the tournament last Sunday.
The South Africa paceman was outstanding once again at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday, taking 3-26 to restrict Chennai to 131-7 in reply to 175-3.
Shaw earlier smashed 64 off 43 balls, while Shikhar Dhawan (35) and Rishabh Pant (37 not out) also chipped in to get Delhi every chance of making it two wins out of two.
Opener Shaw and Dhawan put on 94 for the first wicket off just 10.4 overs, but Piyush Chawla (2-33) and Sam Curran (1-27) helped to keep the Capitals under the 200 mark they looked set to reach.
The Super Kings never looked like reaching their target, Faf du Plessis top scoring with 43 before he was removed by Rabada, who also got rid of MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja in the final over.
Rabada's compatriot Anrich Nortje took 2-21 from a brilliant four overs for CSK, who have now lost two out of three, as the Capitals moved to the summit.
UNWANTED RECORD FOR JADEJA, SHAW CUTS LOOSE
Shaw and Dhawan laid the platform for Delhi's comfortable victory with an entertaining opening stand.
It was no fun for Jadeja, who saw Dhawan clatter his first ball for six over midwicket and Shaw sweep him over the ropes in a second over that went for 15.
Jadeja's four overs cost 44 runs and he failed to take a wicket, becoming the first spinner to concede at least 40 runs in three successive IPL matches.
Shaw was named man of the match, having hit nine fours as well as that big six in masterful knock before Dhoni stumped him off Chawla in the 13th over.
LANDMARK FOR DU PLESSIS AS SOUTH AFRICANS TAKE CENTRE STAGE
Du Plessis reached the 2,000 IPL runs landmark but he was never going to be celebrating with a victory.
His fellow South Africans Rabada and Nortje did the bulk of the damage in the run chase, bowling 23 dot balls between them and taking key wickets.
Axar Patel also set the tone, with his four overs costing only 18 runs and he also took the wicket of Shane Watson.
Rahane knocked an impressive 71 from just 29 balls - including five sixes - while Devon Conway and Shivam Dube also brought up 50 as the Kings recorded their third straight victory at Eden Gardens.
After the Knight Riders elected to bowl, Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad ensured a steady start for the Kings, who were 59-0 at the end of the Powerplay.
Suyash Sharma eventually broke the stand when he bowled Gaikwad for 35, but Conway and Rahane kept the Kings on track - the former bringing up the half-century off 34 balls.
Varun Chakaravarthy eventually claimed Conway for 59, but the Rahane-Dube partnership chalked up a combined 85 off 32 balls.
Kulwant Khejroliya eventually bowled Dube and Ravindra Jadeja, but Rahane was unbeaten as the Kings finished at 235-4.
But the Knight Riders' record chase stalled early on as they lost Sunil Narine and Jagadeesan Narayan inside the opening two overs.
Jason Roy boosted their quest with three successive sixes from Moeen Ali on his way to reaching 50 off just 19 balls, before eventually falling to Maheesh Theekshana for 61 (off 26).
Singh embarked on a late rally with an unbeaten 55 from 33 balls, but it proved academic as the Knight Riders fell short at 186/8 and suffered their fourth successive defeat.
Rahane leads the way
Rahane played an instrumental role in moving the Super Kings to the IPL summit. The former India captain top-scored with a quickfire 71 from just 29 balls.
Forming solid partnerships alongside Conway and Dube, he hit 11 boundaries during his impressive stand, including five stunning sixes.
Another 50 for Conway
The form of Conway has been pivotal in his side's impressive streak of form. Indeed, he has now scored a half-century in each of the Super Kings' last four victories.
Taking his tally of runs in this season's IPL to 314, Conway is second to only Faf du Plessis (405), who is also the only player to better his number of half-centuries in the competition (five).
Mumbai were restricted to 157-8 after they were put in at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, Ravindra Jadeja taking 3-20 with support from Mitchell Santner (2-28) and Tushar Deshpande (2-31).
That was not enough to give them a first win of the tournament, as Rahane struck 61 off only 21 balls and faced just 19 deliveries to reach his half-century on his home ground before CSK reached their target with 11 balls to spare.
The Indians were going along well at 61-1 at the end of the powerplay, but lost their way after Ishan Kishan (32) followed captain Rohit Sharma (21) back to the pavilion.
Santner had Suryakumar Yadav caught behind and Jadeja took a sharp catch off his own bowling to remove Cameron Green as Mumbai lost four wickets for only 12 runs.
Hrithik Shokeen added 18 in quick time after a brisk 33 from Tim David and Jason Behrendorff struck an early blow in the run chase by bowling Devon Conway for a duck.
Rahane then took centre stage, taking the Mumbai attack apart with great timing and placement to put CSK well on course for victory by the time he fell to Piyush Chawla.
Mumbai, who were without Jofra Archer, were unable to recover from Rahane's onslaught, with Ruturaj Gaikwad making an unbeaten 40 as the Super Kings made it two wins from three matches.
Rahane destructive on debut
CSK were missing Ben Stokes, reportedly due to a heel injury and the unwell Moeen Ali but Rahane proved he still has so much to offer on the big stage.
Snapped up by Chennai after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders, the 34-year-old looked like a man eager to prove a point as he struck three sixes and a further seven boundaries in a brilliant knock.
Jadeja spins the game in CSK's favour
India all-rounder Jadeja was excellent with ball in hand, turning the game in CSK's favour by seeing the back of Kishan, Green and Tilak Varma.
He bowled nine dot balls and was hit for just one boundary in an excellent display of spin bowling.
On the receiving end of significant margins in each of their previous defeats, the Kings turned the tables in style to surge to a nine-wicket triumph through a superb performance with bat and ball.
Despite a fine 63 from Rohit Sharma, Mumbai could only manage 131-6 as Mohammed Shami and young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi kept them in check.
Captain Rahul and Gayle then made short work of the target of 132, with Kings losing only one wicket in the process and reaching the finishing line with 14 balls to spare.
Rahul hit three fours and as many sixes in an unbeaten 60, while Gayle struck 43 off 35 balls as their partnership of 79 inspired the Kings.
Having already produced scores of 91 and 61 in this season's competition, Rahul laid the platform for a routine chase with a first-wicket stand of 53 with Mayank Agarwal.
Agarwal lofted Rahul Chahar to long-on as he was dismissed for 25, but the arrival of Gayle only served to help the Kings hit the accelerator.
His and Rahul's stand ensured there was never any doubt of them chasing a modest total, Mumbai having failed to offer Rohit sufficient support during their innings.
Rohit helped Mumbai to recover from 26-2 to 105-2 as he and Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 27) steadied the ship.
However, Suryakumar top-edged Bishnoi to Gayle at short third man to start the 16th over and Rohit soon followed in being dismissed when he fired a low full toss from Shami straight to deep square.
Kieron Pollard (16 not out off 12) provided an efficient cameo, but both Hardik (1) and Krunal Pandya (3) failed to get going as Mumbai limped to the finish to give the Kings a straightforward task.
Captain Rahul replaced Shikhar Dhawan as the leading run-scorer in the tournament with a scintillating 91 off 57 balls, getting Kings up to 179-5 after Virat Kohli put them in.
Chris Gayle also smashed a rapid 46 from 24 balls before Rahul and Harpreet provided a late flurry at Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.
RCB fell well short in reply with the Kings attack giving nothing away, Kohli top scoring with 35 as they could only muster 145-8 in Ahmedabad.
They never got going in the run chase and lost six wickets for 34 runs, with spinner Harpreet sparking the collapse by bowling Kohli before cleaning up Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck off the next ball in a double-wicket maiden.
Harpreet claimed outstanding figures of 3-19, while fellow tweaker Ravi Bishnoi finished with a brilliant 2-17 in a resounding victory.
Harshal Patel (31) and Kyle Jamieson (16 not out) combined for an eighth-wicket stand of 48, but the damage had been done as Kings moved up to fifth, consigning third-placed RCB to only a second defeat.
RCB have no answer to Rahul
Punjab skipper Rahul must wish he could play against RCB more often, as they have not managed to get him out since 2019.
The India batsman was imperious once again, bringing up his fourth half-century of the tournament off 35 balls after Gayle had taken 20 off a Jamieson over and struck Yuzvendra Chahal for two sixes in the next before gloving a Daniel Sams delivery behind.
Harshal, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, went for 53 runs off his four wicket-less overs - the last of the innings costing 22 as Rahul and Harpreet (25 not out from 17) cut loose.
Harp calls the tune
Riley Meredith struck an early blow by removing Devdutt Padikkal's off stump before the Kings spinners came to the fore.
RCB were struggling on 36-1 at the end of the powerplay and were well behind the run rate when Kohli came down the track to Harpreet but lost his off stump.
Harpreet was on a hat-trick after bamboozling Maxwell with a peach of a delivery that clicked his off stump. It was pretty much game over when the same bowler had AB de Villiers caught at extra cover by Rahul, with Rajat Patidar soon following for 31.
Lucknow captain Rahul finished unbeaten on 103 off 62 balls, reaching three figures with a six off Riley Meredith (2-40), but Manish Pandey (22) was the only other batter to pass 20 in support of his skipper.
Kieron Pollard collected two dismissals for eight runs as the Super Giants posted 168-6 at the Wankhede Stadium, though Mumbai's hopes for their first win of the season diminished after losing regular wickets.
Ishan Kishan (eight) fell in bizarre fashion as he edged onto wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock's foot and into the hands of Jason Holder at slip, before Dewald Brevis (three) followed to Mohsin Khan (1-27).
Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma offered brief impetus with 39 from 31 balls, but he was removed by Krunal Pandya (3-19) before Suryakumar Yadav (seven) was dismissed by Ayush Badoni (1-6) to leave Mumbai 67-4.
Pollard and Tilak Varma posed a late threat to Lucknow with a 57-run partnership, with the latter scoring a quick 38 before holing out to Holder (1-36).
Pandya then dismissed Pollard (19) and Daniel Sams (three) in the final over, either side of Holder running out Jaydev Unadkat (one), as Super Giants eased to their third straight win to move up to fourth.
Captain fantastic
Rahul powered a brisk 56-ball century against Mumbai earlier in the month and again played with remarkable control for his 103, which included 12 fours and four sixes.
Only Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler has scored more runs in this season's competition (491) than the Lucknow captain, who has 368 from his eight matches so far.
Classy Chameera thwarts Mumbai
Mumbai became the first side to lose their first seven games of an IPL campaign after falling to Chennai Super Kings on Thursday, but may have fancied their chances after being set 169 to win at Wankhede.
However, Rahul's bowlers kept things tight and controlled the second innings, with Pandya capably supported by Dushmantha Chameera, who went for just 14 runs from his four overs, including 15 dot balls.
Super Giants captain KL Rahul (68) and Deepak Hooda (51) were the standout performers in the Lucknow innings as they set their opponents 170 to win.
Sunrisers had looked in a strong position to chase down that total at 143-4 with just under three overs left, only for a late collapse to see them fall well short.
The Super Giants were three down within the first five overs, with two wickets for Washington Sundar (2-28) in his first seven balls, claiming Quinton de Kock and Evin Lewis for a single run each, then, immediately after hitting a big six, Manish Pandey (11) could only find Bhuvneshwar Kumar from Romario Shepherd's delivery to leave them 27-3.
Hooda came to the crease and rescued things with Rahul, putting on a partnership of 87 before the former fell to Shepherd, with Thangarasu Natarajan (2-26) taking the late wickets of Rahul and Krunal Pandya (6) to seemingly limit Lucknow.
However, Abhishek Sharma (13) and Kane Williamson (16) failed to eat much into the target, and despite solid efforts from Rahul Tripathi (44) and Nicholas Pooran (34), Hyderabad ultimately fell short, with Jason Holder (3-34) taking three wickets for just three runs in the final over.
Skipper leads the way with the bat
Rahul and Hooda were the only batsmen for the victors to score 20 or more runs, but that was all that was needed after their efforts, with the captain hitting six fours and one six.
Hooda struck three fours and three sixes, and grabbed his second half-century of the IPL season so far.
Bowling attack comes to the fore
This was a classic case of the batsmen setting a defendable total, but then the bowlers having to earn their place by seizing control back late on.
Avesh Khan impressed with 4-24 from his four overs, including taking both Sunrisers openers, while Krunal (2-27) and Holder performed crucially at the death.
The Super Kings on Saturday revealed Raina had left the United Arab Emirates to return to his homeland three weeks before the tournament gets under way.
"Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the 2020 IPL season. Chennai Super Kings offers complete support to Suresh and his family during this time." CSK chief executive KS Viswanathan said in a statement.
The announcement comes a fortnight after the 33-year-old retired from international cricket.
The loss of Raina is another blow for CSK in a week when at least 10 members of their camp reportedly tested positive for coronavirus.
One India player is said to among those who returned positive tests, with the majority being members of the support staff.
The Royals were grateful to Shimron Hetmyer, whose stunning 59 not out helped them recover from 67-4 to post a competitive 165-6.
No team had successfully defended a total at the Wankhede Stadium in the IPL this season, but the Royals changed that despite some near heroics from Stoinis.
Trent Boult took two wickets in the first two balls of Lucknow's reply and, though Stoinis moved them to within 15 runs of triumph heading into the final over, Kuldeep Sen produced some excellent death bowling to help Rajasthan cling on.
Jos Buttler (13) and Devdutt Padikkal (29) put on 42 for the first Rajasthan wicket, only for the Royals to lose four for 25 runs in the space of five overs.
Hetmyer blasted six maximums in a remarkable 36-ball effort, receiving able support from Ravichandran Ashwin, who struck 28 off 23 deliveries.
A stand of 68 gave Rajasthan something respectable to defend, and Boult immediately put them in the driver's seat with the dismissals of Super Giants captain KL Rahul and Krishnappa Gowtham either side of a wide in the first over of the reply.
Despite Quinton de Kock's 39, it looked as if the game was up for Lucknow when the superb Yuzvendra Chahal (4-41) reduced them to 126-8.
Yet Stoinis, who hit 38 off just 17 balls, had Lucknow in position to deny Rajasthan, but Sen ensured there was to be no dramatic late turnaround, with the Royals now heading five teams on six points because of their superior net run rate.
Hetmyer's hot streak
Hetmyer continued his strong start to the IPL season in some style, reaching his half-century in just 33 balls, his pivotal display following scores of 32, 35 and 42 not out. His average of 84 is bettered only by Suryakumar Yadav (120), who has played two innings fewer.
Stoinis almost saves Lucknow
Stoinis struck four sixes and two fours in a destructive performance that almost rescued the match for Lucknow, but his final maximum came after Sen restricted him with three successive dot balls to clinch victory for Rajasthan.
Rana made an impressive 80 from 56 deliveries, hitting nine fours and four sixes as the Knight Riders posted 187-6 after being put in at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Rahul Tripathi helped add 93 for the second wicket, his innings of 53 seeing him surpass 1,000 career runs in the competition.
Having crashed their way to 145-1 after 15 overs, Kolkata lost four wickets for 14 runs in trying to lift the run-rate even higher, including two in as many deliveries during a Mohammad Nabi over.
However, it was Nabi’s Afghanistan team-mate Rashid Khan who was the pick of the Hyderabad attack, taking 2-24 from four overs.
Dinesh Karthik produced a late cameo – he hit 22 not out from nine balls – to hurt Sunrisers, who then slipped to 10-2 early in their reply as openers David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha fell cheaply.
Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey both made half-centuries to lift their team after the early setbacks, yet an ever-increasing required rate proved too much for the middle order to manage.
Knight Riders make fast start
Rana's 12th IPL half-century came to an end when he departed to Nabi, who then tempted Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan to loft the next ball straight to Abdul Samad at deep backward square leg.
Having lost Andre Russell cheaply in the previous over too, the clatter of wickets ended any hopes that Kolkata - who missed the play-offs last season after finishing fifth in the round-robin stage – may have had of making it to 200 and beyond.
Jonny be good but Sunrisers come up short
Bairstow was utilised at number four in the batting order - a position he also occupied for England in the recent Twenty20 series against India. At the crease after just 13 deliveries, the right-hander's clean hitting kept Hyderabad's hopes alive as he made 55 from 40 balls.
Pandey ended up unbeaten on 61 - including hitting the final ball of the game for six - while Samad slammed 19 not out from just eight deliveries at the end, raising questions over why he did not come in earlier in the run chase.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Kings posted 179-7 off their 20 overs thanks to a top-score of 57 off 47 balls from captain Shikhar Dhawan.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy led the way with 3-26 from his four overs while pacer Harshit Rana took 2-33 from three overs for the Knight Riders.
In reply, captain Nitish Rana made a 38 ball 51 while Andre Russell contributed 42 and Jason Roy 38 as the Knight Riders successfully reached 182-5 off their 20 overs.
Russell’s knock came off just 23 balls and included a 20-run penultimate over leaving the Knight Riders needing six to win off the last over.
The Jamaican fell off the penultimate ball of the match with KKR needing two to win before Rinku Singh, who finished 21* off 10 balls, hit the final ball bowled by Arshdeep Singh for four to seal the win.
Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar took 2-23 off his four overs for Punjab.
Half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Shreyas Iyer accounted for the bulk of the Capitals' 161-7.
Ben Stokes (41) and Jos Buttler (22) impressed at the top of the Rajasthan reply but neither man could kick on and when Anrich Nortje (2-33) crowned a blistering fast-bowling display by bowling Robin Uthappa for 32, the task was beyond a Royals side who have now lost five of their eight games in the competition.
Jofra Archer gave Rajasthan the perfect start with a beautiful delivery that nipped back off the seam to bowl Prithvi Shaw from the first ball of the match.
That launched a stunning opening burst of 2-5 from the England paceman, who Ajinkya Rahane pulled tamely to mid-on.
Dhawan played with typical authority until his 33-ball stay ended in inauspicious fashion on 57 when he scooped Shreyas Gopal to Kartik Tyagi at third man.
Iyer passed fifty when a third umpire review showed Stokes had the ball in his hand and a foot grounded behind the rope when attempting to take a catch off Jaydev Unadkat.
The Capitals captain holed out for 53 off Tyagi next over and the end of their innings brought a clatter of wickets, with Archer (3-19) and Unadkat (2-32) the beneficiaries.
Stokes clipped the opening ball of the Royals' reply for four and he and England team-mate Jos Buttler ensured an explosive initial response.
South Africa paceman Nortje elected to meet fire with fire and, having been thumped over wide long-on for six and scooped for a pair of fours, he bowled Buttler to end an undulating nine-ball stay.
Rajasthan's promising start went further off the rails when Smith continued poor recent form by chipping a return catch to Ravichandran Ashwin for one.
Stokes looked in immaculate touch and hit six fours in his 41 before misjudging Tushar Deshpande's slower ball to be caught in the deep by substitute Lalit Yadav.
Sanju Samson hit Axar Patel over midwicket for a monstrous six that resulted in the retrieved ball being changed but the left-arm spinner had his revenge, bowling the big-hitter for 25.
Patel then accounted for Riyan Parag via a run out - a debacle for which Uthappa was unable to atone as his team-mates limped to148-8.
Pace like fire
The pitches of Dubai are rarely thought of as the ideal stage for the world's premier fast bowlers but Archer and Nortje put on a thrilling exhibition of their art. Of the five runs Archer conceded in his opening spell, only two came off the bat.
If none of the Delhi Capitals line-up could get the measure of Archer, the same could not be said about the Royals' batsmen's ability to deal with Nortje initially, as Buttler threatened to dispatch him to all parts.
The solution? Bowl faster. And faster still. The delivery that bowled Buttler and the one he ramped preceding it both touched 156 km/h. It was a gripping battle.
Smith gets it wrong
Normally so reliable with the bat, Smith's form has fallen away dramatically. This was his fifth single-figure score in six innings and the Australia star also fell short with his captaincy.
The decision to remove a rampant Archer from the attack after two overs looked questionable at the time and it felt like Delhi had been decisively let off the hook as Dhawan and Iyer compiled their crucial 85-run stand.
The opener played a blinding captain's innings with his knock at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi coming off just 54 deliveries.
Rohit put on 90 runs with Suryakumar Yadav (47) for a second-wicket stand that frustrated the Knight Riders, who at least restricted Mumbai under 200.
Saurabh Tiwary (21) and Hardik Pandya (18) added valuable runs in a total of 195-5 that Kolkata never got near.
The impressive Jasprit Bumrah (2-32) dismissed Kolkata danger men Andre Russell (11) and Eoin Morgan (16) before they even got going.
Kolkata eventually posted 146-9 in reply, some way short of their target to start their campaign with a defeat, while Mumbai rebounded from an opening loss to Chennai Super Kings.
YOU SIXY THING, ROHIT
Rohit's knock included six sixes and three fours, with the unfortunate Kuldeep Yadav smacked straight over the ropes twice in the 14th over.
He now has 200 maximums in the IPL, 12 shy of MS Dhoni in third place on the all-time list, but still 126 short of leader Chris Gayle.
BUMRAH DOES THE BUSINESS
Trent Boult, James Pattinson and Rahul Chahar each also finished with two wickets in an all-round effort from Mumbai's bowling team.
Russell and Morgan were well capable of getting Kolkata, who had slipped to 77-4, back into the match but Bumrah broke up a potentially dangerous partnership in the 16th over.
Bumrah knocked back Russell's leg stump before Morgan edged behind, leaving Mumbai to close on a first victory in the UAE from six attempts.
After back-to-back defeats to start their campaign in the Twenty20 competition, it proved to be third time lucky for Sunrisers, who posted 162-4 after being put into bat.
Jonny Bairstow led the way with 53 from 48 deliveries, though it was Kane Williamson who made the most telling contribution. The New Zealand batsman was drafted into the XI and responded to the opportunity with a rapid 41.
His 26-ball knock included five boundaries as he capitalised on a solid opening stand worth 77 between Bairstow and David Warner, who made 45 in his 50th IPL game as captain.
Delhi saw several batsmen get starts without kicking on during their unsuccessful reply, Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant struggling to break the shackles despite making 34 and 28 respectively.
Rashid Khan was at his miserly best for Hyderabad, claiming superb figures of 3-14, and while Shimron Hetmyer provided some much-needed impetus, hitting 21 from 12 thanks to a pair of sixes, Delhi finished up on 147-7.
KANE ABLE TO HELP
Respective strike rates of 136 and 110 for the usually fast-scoring Warner and Bairstow demonstrated how it was far from easy for batsmen to force the pace on a slow, low surface at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
However, Williamson showed it is not all about power in the shortest format. The right-hander was the only batsman to find any rhythm, cleverly hitting balls into gaps to add 52 with Bairstow for the third wicket.
RASHID SHUTS DOWN CAPITALS
The Afghanistan international's spell included 13 dot balls and he conceded just a solitary boundary, as well as claiming three crucial top-order wickets.
However, the leg-spinner may not have dismissed opener Dhawan had it not been for wicketkeeper Bairstow.
The England international was the only one to strongly appeal for a catch behind and while initially given not out on the field, the original decision had to be overturned following a review.
Umran has impressed all with his outstanding pace bowling in 2022 and took another step forward on Wednesday with a dazzling 5-25, including what seemed to be the big wicket of Wriddhiman Saha (68).
But Sunrisers, protecting a target of 196, fell apart after the 22-year-old completed his four overs, undone by their former bowler Rashid Khan.
Rashid had not performed anything like he would have hoped with the ball, with figures of 0-45 as Sunrisers scored well through Abhishek Sharma (65), Aidan Markram (56) and Shashank Singh (25 off six).
Yet he then stepped up in the final over of the match, with Saha long gone and Marco Jansen having just about manoeuvred Rahul Tewatia (40 not out) off the strike.
Rashid hit three sixes off the final four balls to lift the Titans to 199-5, an incredible five-wicket win and first place in the standings.
Tale of two young bowlers
This has been a breakout season for Umran, of which this match should be the undoubted highlight, regardless of the result. With 15 wickets – including all five Sunrisers took here – he is up to second in the standings, behind only Yuzvendra Chahal (18).
However, Jansen, one year his team-mate's junior, was the man tasked with getting Sunrisers over the line and fell desperately short. His economy of 15.75, with figures of 0-63, told the whole story.
Batsmen surprisingly on top
This was expected to be a battle between two elite bowling line-ups – the top two in terms of bowling average coming into this clash – yet Jansen was not the only man to struggle at the death.
Lockie Ferguson matched Jansen in giving up 25 runs off the final over of the first innings, including three sixes in a row from Shashank that put the Titans in the sort of position from which they required a sensational turnaround.
In a repeat of the final of the previous edition of the IPL - when Mumbai beat the then-defending champions Chennai by a single run - the Super Kings chased down 163 to win.
They did so despite losing openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay in the first two overs of their reply as Rayudu smashed 71 off 48 and shared a third-wicket stand of 115 with Du Plessis.
The South African finished unbeaten on 58 to see his side home alongside scoreless Chennai captain MS Dhoni, with the India great - who recently retired from international cricket - playing for the first time since the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The defending champions made a strong start and were 46 without loss in the fifth over, but no one was able to go on and make a big total as Saurabh Tiwary top-scored with 42.
Mumbai were 46-6 across the final seven overs of their innings as they made 162-9, with Lungi Ngidi taking 3-38.
The partnership between Rayudu and Du Plessis proved pivotal, though the former perished when caught and bowled by Rahul Chahar with the final ball of the 16th over.
England all-rounder Sam Curran, making his debut for the Super Kings, stepped in at six and his 18 from six balls brought Chennai to the verge of victory.
For once, Dhoni was not 'the finisher' as he failed to score off the two balls he faced, with Du Plessis instead striking back-to-back fours to give Chennai victory with four balls to spare - their first win over Mumbai in five attempts.
ANOTHER OPENING LOSS FOR MUMBAI
The Indians have won the IPL a record four times, but this was the eighth year in a row in which they had lost their opening game of the tournament.
DHONI SURVIVES FIRST-BALL DUCK
It had been 437 days since Dhoni last took to the crease - in India's World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand - and he only just survived a first-ball duck. He was initially given out after appearing to feather a Jasprit Bumrah bouncer behind, but the decision was overturned and Dhoni was there at the end, though, for once, he was not the one bringing it home.
Devon Conway's highest IPL score of 92 off 52 balls took CSK up to 200-4 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, but the in-form batter's brilliant knock was in vain.
Prabhsimran Singh (42 off 24), Liam Livingstone (40 from 24) and Sam Curran (29 off 20) kept Punjab in the hunt to pull off the highest successful run chase against Chennai in their own backyard.
Needing 12 to win off the final over from Matheesha Pathirana, Raza hoisted the final delivery towards the square-leg boundary and scampered through for the three runs that were required for victory.
Conway put on 86 for the first wicket with Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was stumped for 37, giving Raza the charge in the 10th over.
Shivam Dube made a brisk 28 before he was sent on his way by Arshdeep Singh and Moeen Ali fell cheaply, but Punjab were unable to see the back of Conway.
He struck a six and found the rope 16 times in another masterful knock, falling just short of a century and watching on at the other end as MS Dhoni struck Sam Curran for back-to-back sixes to end the innings in style.
Prabhsimran and Shikhar Dhawan got the run chase off to a flying start, putting on 50 before the captain became the first of Tushar Deshpande's (3-49) victims.
Ravindra Jadeja (2-32) made it advantage CSK by removing Prabhsimran and Atharva Taid, but England duo Livingstone and Curran kept the game in the balance.
They put on 57 before Livingstone was caught in the deep off the bowling of Deshpande and Pathirana struck another blow by cleaning Curran up.
Jitesh Sharma fell for 21 in the penultimate over, but Raza ensured Punjab moved just behind CSK in fifth place with their fifth win of the season.
Conway shows the way for CSK
New Zealand opener Conway has been a revelation for CSK at the top of the order, this being his fifth half-century in six knocks.
The left-hander needed just 31 balls to reach his latest fifty, taking his tally of runs for the tournament to 414.
Only Faf du Plessis (422) has more runs in the 2023 IPL than Conway, who averages 59.14 at a strike rate of 144.25.
Livingstone looking ominous
Punjab had to start the tournament without Livingstone as he recovered from injury, but he certainly appears to have his eye in again.
The all-rounder gave a demonstration of his power and timing, clearing the rope four times in a crucial knock to keep the target within reach.
Bottom-of-the-table Delhi looked to be in contention for their first win of the season when they limited RCB to 174-6, but they lost four wickets within the first six overs of a dire run chase, Manish Pandey's half-century only serving to salvage some pride.
Virat Kohli's 50 off 34 deliveries put RCB in a decent position after they were put in by Delhi skipper David Warner, but their momentum was stunted when he was caught in the deep off Lalit Yadav's bowling in the 11th over.
Faf du Plessis (22) and Mahipal Lomror (26) supported Kohli ably before both were caught off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh, whose figures of 2-18 helped Delhi keep RCB within range.
Delhi, however, made a dismal start to their run chase, losing three wickets before the end of the third over and two more by the close of the ninth.
A superb piece of fielding from Anuj Rawat accounted for the first as Prithvi Shaw was run out, before Marsh handed Kohli a routine catch to join his team-mate in being dismissed for nought.
Having watched the wickets tumble around him, Warner (19) gave Vyshak Vijaykumar a maiden IPL wicket when he was caught by Kohli at midwicket, and Vyshak went on to scalp two more on a fine debut.
Pandey restored some respectability with 50 off 38 balls, but any hopes of a Delhi fightback were extinguished when he was bowled lbw by Wanindu Hasaranga in the 14th, allowing RCB to cruise to their second win of the season.
Kohli knock decisive
Kohli took 33 balls to deliver the 47th half-century of his IPL career, and while the RCB opener was dismissed with the next delivery, his excellent knock ultimately proved decisive.
He slammed six fours and one six to guide his side to a respectable tally, one his team-mates struggled to build on after his exit.
Fortunately for RCB, their attack was in scintillating form as Delhi never looked likely to complete the chase.
Debutant Vyshak on song
Vyshak's IPL debut was one to remember as he had Warner caught for his maiden wicket before adding the scalps of Axar Patel and Yadav.
He took 3-20 across four overs while Mohammed Siraj added 2-23 on a day for the bowlers in Bangalore.