Hyderabad : Needing 12 runs for victory, Kiwi all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme and Mandeep Singh could score only 6 runs off Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, who along with Jasprit Bumrah is labelled as best death bowler in the world today, in the IPL match played at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here. Bhuvi’s brilliance of bowling all the 6 deliveries yorkers, ensured 5 runs victory for Sunrisers Hyderabad at there home ground.
SRH bowlers once again showed their skill to defend low totals. RCB could manage to score 141/6 in their 20 overs.
Earlier, Skipper Kane Wliiamson struck a vital half-century before pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Tim Southee joined hands to help RCB bundle out SRH for a modest 146. Williamson scored 56 off 39 balls while Shakib Al Hasan made 35 but, it was Siraj (3-25) and Southee’s (3-30) fiery spell that eventually put brakes on Sunrisers’ charge.
Sent into bat, Sunrisers did not have the best of starts as they lost openers Alex Hales (5) and Shikhar Dhawan (13) early. To make matters worse for the hosts, Manish Pandey (five) too didn’t last long, handing out a simple catch to skipper Virat Kohli off Yuzvendra Chahal (1-25) in the ninth over. Thereafter, Sunrisers captain Williamson and Shakib stitched 64 runs off just 50 balls for the fourth wicket to keep the hosts afloat. While Shakib played the second fiddle, Williamson showcased his class striking the balls to all parts of the ground without taking any undue risk.
Wlliamson brought up his fifth half-century of the tournament in 35 balls. But just when it was time for Williamson to accelerate, the Kiwi departed, holing out to Mandeep Singh at deep square-leg off Umesh Yadav in the 16th over. Williamson’s innings was studded with five boundaries and two huge sixes.
Soon after Williamson’s dismissal, it was left to a set Shakib to up the ante but the Bangladesh all-rounder too departed an over later caught by Yadav at deep-square leg off Southee’s bowling. Yusuf Pathan then found the fence twice off Southee in the same over before perishing in the next over, cleaned up by Siraj. After being clobbered for a six by Wriddhiman Saha (eight) in the same over, Siraj got his man when he went through the defence of the right-hander with another quick delivery. If that was not enough, the final over from Southee accounted for three Sunrisers’ wickets — two runs outs in the form of Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and then a LBW dismissal of Sandeep Sharma from the final delivery of the innings.
SRH
Hales b Southee………………………..5
Dhawan c Southee b Siraj………..13
Williamson c Mandeep b Umesh.56
Pandey c Kohli b Chahal…………….5
Shakib c Umesh b Southee………35
Pathan b Siraj………………………….12
Saha b Siraj………………………………8
Rashid run out…………………………..1
Bhuvaneshwar not out……………….1
S Kaul run out……………………………1
S Sharma lbw Southee………………0
Extras: (lb3,no1,w5)………………..9
Total: (all out, 20ovrs)………….146
Bowling: Ali 3-0-19-0, Umesh 4-0-36-1, Southee 4-0-30-3, Siraj 4-0-25-3, Chahal 4-0-25-1, Grandhomme 1-0-8-0.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Mohammed Siraj (L) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer Shikhar Dhawan (C) during the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on May 7, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / NOAH SEELAM / ----IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE----- / GETTYOUT