Sunrisers Hyderabad lost the contest in the PowerPlays – first when Rajasthan Royals, put into bat, scored 85 for one and then when the host scored just 30 for two, chasing 204 for victory.
It was a complete, all-round performance from the Royals, which helped them record a 72-run win in the Tata IPL at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.
SRH was never in the hunt after left-arm pacer Trent Boult struck twice in the first over of the innings – removing Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi, the latter steering only to see Jason Holder take a brilliant, diving catch at slip – without conceding any run.
Soon, leggie Yuzvendra Chahal, who had a four-wicket haul, left Harry Brook bewildered with the wrong one. Washington Sundar mistimed a pull stroke off Jason Holder and was caught at mid-on before seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin induced a poor drive from Glenn Phillips straight to covers. Three quick blows effectively shut the Sunrisers out of the game.
Earlier, the Royals were off to a flier, with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler handling the bowlers with disdain. Jaiswal started with some clean hits, including an off-drive and a pull shot of the home team captain Bhuvaneshwar to the fence, while Buttler changed gears to the dismay of the near-capacity crowd.
First, Buttler swung Bhuvneshwar for a six, later hit two consecutive sixes off offie Sundar in his first over. Even the usually reliable left-arm pacer T. Natarajan was at the receiving end in his first over.
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi provided much-needed relief to his team, dismissing the dangerous Buttler, who was bowled trying to play an off-drive to a delivery that came back sharply.
Despite captain Sanju Samson’s breezy half-century, Sunrisers bowlers fought back remarkably well in the second half, conceding 83 runs in the last 10 overs and striking at regular intervals.
But it wasn’t enough in the end.