Suryakumar played a one-inning cracker, smoking six sixes and 11 fours on his 103 undefeated 49-ball strikes.
Besides Suryakumar, skipper Rohit Sharma (29), Ishan Kishan (31) and Vishnu Vinod (30) played their part at bat for the hosts after being sent to bat first by the GT captain Hardik Pandya.
Fast hits negated GT spinner damage Rashid Khan (4/30).
India and MI skipper Rohit couldn’t convert his start but appeared to be back to his usual self in the crease, hitting some exquisite shots in his first 61-point stand in the power play with Ishan Kishan (31) to throw the platform for a big total.
Rohit got off to a quick start with two fours, but the highlight was a six on the back square leg, picking up 14 on the first over Mohit Sharma (1/43).
Rashid, who took his total wickets to 23 to top the bowling standings, shook MI just after the power play to get Rohit caught in the first slip for a 29-18 ball, which included three fours and some sixes.
The second breakthrough came four balls later, with the Afghan leg spinner trapping Kishan LBW.
Rashid continued to make inroads as he called on Nehal Wadhera (15) to chop one on his wickets, but MI’s acceleration was enough to take them to 96 for three at the halfway point.
Suryakumar and Vinod then attacked Mohammed Shami (0/53), hitting him for 15 runs in the 13th, before both hitters hit Alzarri Joseph for a six apiece in the 12th.
Vinod perished in the 16th as he struck Mohit only to be sent off for a fine of 30 out of 20 balls (2×4, 2×6), after going 42 balls 65 for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar.
Rashid, however, continued to nibble as he broke Tim David’s (5) key wicket in the 17th, taking an easy return for his fourth wicket in the game.
But Suryakumar continued with his barrage of shots from the other end, hitting Mohit for 20 runs in the 18th with three fours and a six and started his first century of IPL career with a six on the last ball of the innings.
In the process, Suryakumar also made another 54 runs for the sixth wicket with Cameron Green (3 not out), who only managed 18 balls.
(With PTI entries)
