Published: May 12, 2015, 02:14 AM (IST)
Edited: May 12, 2015, 02:14 AM (IST)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) managed to keep their hopes alive with a narrow five-run win over the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday night. Devarchit Varma brings the highlights of the match.
David Warner’s brilliant innings: If there is one man who has been a standout performer for the Sunrisers Hyderabad this season, it has to be David Warner. The skipper of the IPL team has led his side with example, as Warner has been among the highest run-scorers in IPL 2015 since a very long time. Warner slammed a brilliant 81 off 52 balls, studded with six boundaries and five sixes to help his side to a very strong total. Warner looked unstoppable, and batted with such command that one does not get to see often, especially in Twenty20 cricket. Updates: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab at Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad fritter away momentum: The Kings XI Punjab made an impressive comeback to halt Sunrisers’ progress, as at one junction they looked like crossing 200-run mark. Eoin Morgan, Warner and Naman Ojha fell in quick succession which hampered their chances of a massive total. It was only due to some aggressive batting towards the end of the innings to propel them to a total of 185 for five in their allotted 20 overs. Scorecard: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab at Hyderabad
Moises Henriques continues to impress: The Australian cricketer has had some good back-to-back matches for Sunrisers, and has established himself as one of the mainstays in their batting line-up. Henriques faced 24 balls and 28 runs, and his stay at the crease was largely overshadowed by Warner’s brilliance. Henriques fell while looking for a big hit. With the ball, he made merry, bagging three key wickets of Wriddhiman Saha, George Bailey and Gurkeerat Singh Mann. REPORT: Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Kings XI Punjab by 5 runs
KXIP’s spirited start: With nothing to lose, the Kings XI Punjab openers began in style as they raced to 37 in the first four overs. Both Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra were aggressive from the beginning, as they continued to attack the SRH bowlers.
And the collapse: The Kings XI Punjab started off extremely well, and it felt like they will give Sunrisers a tough fight. But after Murali Vijay’s dismissal in the fifth over, KXIP fell like a pack of cards and stumbled to 99 for six. The hosts by then had gained complete command, and it looked like KXIP had run out of the fuel to go the distance.
David Miller plays a scintillating innings: With a mighty flash outside the off-stump, David Miller brought up his half-century off 31 balls. The left-handed batsman once again displayed his array of strokes, waging a lone battle once again. And after completing his half-century, Miller let loose as he clobbered two sixes off the penultimate over from Trent Boult and then slammed two sixes off the first two balls off Ishant Sharma to jolt SRH. Miller eventually remained unbeaten on 89 off 44 balls, striking nine sixes and two boundaries to bring KXIP agonisingly close to victory. Even when there were 12 more runs needed off the final two balls, SRH were nervous as Miller was on strike. The second ball did not get the six that KXIP needed, which sealed the game as well as two important points for SRH.
(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
