David Warner must have been pleased to see Rajasthan Royals struggling to make 154 four six at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday night. That is the kind of score a captain would not mind chasing after he wins the toss and chooses to bowl.
It was indeed a fine effort from the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers. But for a sweet cameo towards the end from teenager Riyan Parag (20, 12b, 2x4, 1x6), Royals would have had to settle for even less. None of the Royals batsmen were able to convert their good starts.
It all began with Robin Uthappa. An extra-cover drive for a boundary off Jason Holder, who was playing first IPL game for four years, and a nicely timed flick six over square-leg off Sandeep Sharma announced his form and intention.
But when the first-wicket stand was worth 30, Uthappa came half-way down the pitch from the non-striking end for an invisible single and was sent back by Ben Stokes. Holder quickly threw the stumps down from near the batting end: Uthappa was well short.
Sanju Samson, who didn't reach 30 even once in the last six innings after beginning with two 70-plus scores, finally seemed to have regained his timing, as he played gorgeous drives through the off-side off successive balls from Sandeep. Then he pulled Holder over mid-wicket for a big six but was bowled off the next ball, which was much fuller and slower, beaten while trying to cut.
Samson (36, 26b, 3x4, 1x6) had added 56 for the second wicket with Stokes, who didn't last long, either. Just two balls later, the England all-rounder was castled by a leg-break from Rashid Khan.
Stokes made 30 alright, but it took him 32 balls and he hit just two fours. Admittedly, the opener's isn't a familiar role for him, but Royals would have wanted him to show a bit more urgency at the top of the order.
Steve Smith now joined Jos Buttler and their team needed them to do an encore: their unbroken fourth-wicket partnership had not merely repaired the damage but fetched a victory against Chennai Super Kings as well. On this night, though, the stand produced only 24, as Buttler fell to a diving catch by Shahbaz Nadeem off Vijay Shankar.
Earlier, SRH made two changes, bringing in Nadeem and Holder for Basil Thampi and the injured Kane Williamson. Holder justified his selection too, picking up three for 33.
Scorecard
RAJASTHAN ROYALS:
Robin Uthappa run out 19 (13B, 2x4, 1x6), Ben Stokes b Rashid 30 (32b, 2x4), Sanju Samson b Holder 36 (26b, 3x4, 1x6), Jos Buttler c Nadeem b Vijay Shankar 9 (12b), Steven Smith c Manish b Holder 19 (15b, 2x4), Riyan Parag c Warner b Holder 20 (12b, 2x4, 1x6), Rahul Tewatia not out 2 (3b), Jofra Archer not out 16 (7b, 1x4, 1x6); Extras (w-3): 3; Total (for six wkts in 20 overs) 154
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-30 (Uthappa, 3.3 overs), 2-86 (Samson, 11.4), 3-86 (Stokes, 12.1), 4-110 (Buttler, 15.3), 5-134 (Smith, 18.1), 6-135 (Parag, 18.2).
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD BOWING:
Sandeep 4-0-31-0, Holder 4-0-33-3, Vijay Shankar 3-0-15-1, Natarajan 4-0-46-0, Rashid 4-0-20-1, Nadeem 1-0-9-0.
TOSS: SRH