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IPL 2017: David Warner’s 126 reduces Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to rubble; Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) win by 48 runs, in IPL 10 match 37

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) hammer Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 48 runs in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017, courtesy David Warner's 126.

David Warner scored 126 off 59 © BCCI
David Warner scored 126 off 59 © BCCI

Before tonight’s contest, Umesh Yadav had the upper hand against David Warner. Off 23 balls, Umesh managed to remove Warner three times (the most by any bowler in IPL), giving away only 30 runs. However, the outcome was not the same in match 37 between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday. Warner blasted 24 off 11 against Umesh. However, Umesh was not the only one who faced Warner’s wrath. The Sunrisers captain reduced the entire Knight Riders’ bowing to rubble, smothering them with his swashbuckling 59-ball 126. That propelled his team to a comprehensive 48-run victory. Full cricket scorecard: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2017, Match 37

The Knight Riders have batsmen who can wreck havoc, but none of them could set the colossal chase ablaze against the might of a clinical Sunrisers bowlers. In the pursuit of a gigantic 210, the Knight Riders lost Sunil Narine and Gautam Gambhir with only 12 runs on the board. The young domestic duo of Mohammad Siraj and Siddharth Kaul induced false strokes and put the Sunrisers well ahead in the race. However, they, or even Bhuvneshwar Kumar could not trouble Manish Pandey and especially Robin Uthappa.

Of course, the target was huge and the batsmen had a very little time to get their eye in, but the way Uthappa applied himself under pressure revived hopes for the Knight Riders. He started off with a few elegant fours. He even converted ones into twos. Be that as it may. Uthappa’s intent came to the fore when he cleared ropes with conviction. For apparent reasons, the midwicket boundary was peppered often, for his bat at times comes down from an angle allowing him to extend his arms. Be it pacers or spinners, he had a great time sending a few into the orbit while a few went flat into the advertisement hoardings.

A few overs before that, the game saw a few minutes of rain interruption but was not threatening enough to scale down length of the game.

To partner him was Manish Pandey at the other end. He, too, used his long handle to a blasting effect, but was not as devastating as the in-form Uthappa.

Bhuvneshwar then provided the much-needed impetus. He ended the 78-run stand outfoxing Pandey with a leg-cutter. The crucial breakthrough did not stop the Uthappa juggernaut. He went on to score his third consecutive half-century and overall fifth of this season, off a mere 25 balls.

Just when Uthappa took his team on course, Siraj changed his pace inviting Uthappa to go for a big shot. Uthappa did what Siraj had expected, as he found Warner at long-off. Full cricket updates: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2017, Match 37

The Knight Riders needed 101 off 45 balls. They had the explosive Yusuf Pathan and youngster Sheldon Jackson to pull off the unlikely. Warner, on the other hand, used his trump card Rashid Khan to contain the onslaught. In the process, Rashid gifted a wicket instead. He induced an outside edge off Yusuf. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar dismissed Jackson for 16. The quick fall of wickets strangled the Knight Riders, choking the life out them. Eventually, they fell short by 48 runs.

Warner was awarded the Man of the Match, and claimed the Orange Cap from Gautam Gambhir. He became the first centurion for the Sunrisers, also registering the highest score by an IPL captain.

Four of six Knight Riders’ bowlers conceded over 10 RPO. If anything, there were hammered to pulp, so much so that Sunil Narine and Kuldeep Yadav ended with combined figures of 7-0-80-0.

The Sunrisers now have won all their home games, while the Knight Riders lost their first of last four away matches.

Brief scores:

Sunrisers Hyderabad 209 for 3 in 20 overs (David Warner 126, Kane Williamson 40; Chris Woakes 1 for 46) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 161 for 7 in 20 overs (Robin Uthappa 53, Manish Pandey 39; Mohammad Siraj 2 for 26, Siddharth Kaul 2 for 26) by 48 runs.

Man of the Match: David Warner

Full cricket scorecard: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2017, Match 37

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