IPL 2020, Mumbai Indians season review: Top performers, match results, video highlights

It seems rather hard to believe now but Mumbai Indians were rather rusty to begin their Indian Premier League 2020 season. But once they shook off the rust, they were unstoppable. In 2020, they found the sweet spot that all planners and great players seek. Almost everything they idealised, they managed to execute and in the end that meant there was a huge gap between them and the rest of the teams.

Key areas where champions Mumbai Indians blew the competition away in IPL 2020

Still, they received some unexpected help from Ishan Kishan and Trent Boult, with both players coming up with their best-ever showings in the IPL. And then there was Suryakumar Yadav, who batted with such maturity that it made many wonder why he hasn’t still made his India debut.

Coming into the season, MI wanted to find consistency. They have been winning the title in every odd year and looking rather ordinary in the even years. So this year, they wanted to change that; that was their goal as laid out by coach Mahela Jayawardene and they sure achieved it.

It can safely be said that the losses were an aberration. Two losses in the first three matches seemed to shake the giant out of its slumber and then, they won five matches on the trot.

MI have over the years been a team that has been hard to beat once it finds momentum and this year, they found it early. Everything seemed to click in place and they only needed to use 15 players during the season.

MI’s understanding of T20 cricket – the strike-rate of the batsmen and the bowlers, the ability to strike at the right time with both bat and ball, and finally the packing of the side with a plethora of match-winners – showed that the shortest format of the game is not about the individual at all. Rather, the only thing that matters here is the team.

Calculated ruthlessness of Mumbai Indians shows why they are champion of champions

Best performers

Ishan Kishan (most sixes in IPL 2020) and Quinton de Kock top the table but Suryakumar Yadav had a huge influence on MI’s season as well. Then again, this season might have gone nowhere but for the finishing touch provided by Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard. And let’s not forget the cameos played by Saurabh Tiwary. Basically, in case it was not clear already, everyone chipped in.

That Rohit Sharma was only a bit performer this season shows how great a team performance this was by MI. Every player had a role and every player performed that role perfectly. There were simply no gaps to exploit.

Uncapped but unfazed, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav emerge as MI’s batting heroes

What was true of the batting was true of the bowling as well. Jasprit Bumrah (despite not starting well) and Trent Boult were the stars but the supporting cast was solid as well. Rahul Chahar got vital wickets, Krunal Pandya controlled the scoring rate well. Pattinson and Coulter-Nile weren’t great but they had roles to perform and they managed to do that well when called up on. And, to sum up their season, the move to bring in Jayant Yadav in the final in place of Chahar, paid dividends too.

MI’s batting always gave them a buffer and then all the bowling needed to do was keep its head and make the big play. And on most occasions, they would turn to Bumrah for that.

The mega auction might break the greatest ever team in IPL history but Mumbai will be able to retain some core players and their coaching staff. The challenge for them (and for every other team) will be to try and replicate MI’s IPL 2020 season, which from the IPL perspective was almost as perfect as it could get.

Video highlights of all MI matches in IPL 2020

Match 1:

Match 2:

Match 3:

Match 4:

Match 5:

Match 6:

Match 7:

Match 8:

Match 9:

Match 10:

Match 11:

Match 12:

Match 13:

Match 14:

Qualifier 1:

Final:

Highlights videos courtesy: iplt20.com