Low-scoring contests are proving to be tricky affairs in this IPL. A day after Kolkata Knight Riders made a mess of their chase, Sunrisers Hyderabad surrendered the advantage in almost similar manner in Chennai on Wednesday.
Chasing 150 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers had everything going in their favour with 35 needed off 24 balls. But a flurry of wickets saw them crash to their second loss in as many matches.
Sixteen were needed off the final over and despite Rashid Khan’s pyrotechnics, Sunrisers ended up six runs short. It was RCB’s second win on the trot and will put them in good stead going forward. For Sunrisers, the debate over their choice of foreigners, especially keeping Kane Williamson out of the XI, will continue.
It was the Australian batsmen’s day. After Glenn Maxwell had prised out 59 off 41 balls (5x4, 3x6), David Warner led the chase with 54 off 37 balls (7x4, 1x6).
Shahbaz Ahmed of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrates the wicket of Abdul Samad of Sunrisers Hyderabad during Indian Premier League cricket match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai on Wednesday. PTI Photo
Warner was uncharacteristic but sensible in his approach. Kyle Jamieson was bowling too full and Warner and Manish Pandey made the most of such profligacy as the pacer leaked 26 from his two overs.
The pair stitched together 83 for the second wicket before Bengal’s Shahbaz Ahmed (3/7) picked three wickets in the 17th over — Jonny Bairstow, Pandey and Abdul Samad — to once again expose the chinks in their middle order.
One of the drawbacks of the wicket at the MA Chidambaram Stadium has been the batsmen’s inability to force the pace because of its slow nature and Shahbaz used it to good effect.
Maxwell show
Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’ departure in successive overs brought Sunrisers back into the match until Maxwell provided the momentum in the closing stages. Maxwell paced his innings intelligently.Having scored only 9 off 16 balls, he hammered Shahbaz Nadeem for 22 off his last over. He then went all-out in the final over of the innings which included a six off Holder.
