Warner led from the front as he slammed six boundaries and five sixes in his energetic 81(52 balls)
David Warner plays a shot during his 81-run knock against Kings XI Punjab at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.(Photo: P. SURENDRA)
Hyderabad: David Warner led his band of brothers to a narrow win over a pathetic Punjab Kings as the Sunrisers climbed to third on the IPL points table to stay in contention for the coveted Play-offs spot on Monday night.
Captain Warner led from the front as he slammed six boundaries and five sixes in his energetic 81 (52 balls, 6x4, 5x6) that helped the hosts amass 185 before the red hot Oranges put on a decent display on the field to restrict the visitors to 180 for 7 and leave the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in raptures. The Pink shirts were off-colour yet again, with big names Glenn Maxwell and George Bailey coming a cropper. A late, thunderous charge by David Miller who played a lone hand to blast 2 fours and 9 sixes in his 44-ball 89 was not enough to save the sinking ship. Miller took 22 off the final over bowled by Ishant Sharma but fell just about short.
Needless to say, Punjab Kings remain anchored at the bottom of the points table. They could well be called this season’s submarines, minus the ammunition though.
For Warner, who is built like a battle tank, it was a script from the movies — a smashing start, heady interval, intense late drama and a happy ending. The hosts got off to a rollicking start as Warner turned his wrath on Anureet Singh, taking 14 runs — crashing a six and a couple of boundaries — off the second over of the innings. Dhawan cranked it up from the other end to slam Sandeep Sharma. Kings XI skipper George Bailey promptly took Anureet out of the attack and replaced him with Hendricks. No respite, as Dhawan hit him for successive boundaries before Warner sent him soaring into the South Pavilion seats as the hosts feasted on his bowling to take 18 runs off that over.
Bailey shuffled his bowling pack like a dealer in a casino — using all of his six bowlers in the first nine overs — but the gamble didn’t pay off. The Sunrisers were dealing in fours and sixes. SRH had raced to 56 for no loss in the power play period when Dhawan fell, first ball to part-time off-spinner Maxwell as he leapt out of his crease with quick runs on his mind. Saha effected an easy stumping.
Warner brought up his half-century in style, hoisting Axar into the stands behind cover region, in the 13th over of the innings. That also signalled the shift in tempo. A six off the same bowler followed, and another one, off Gurkeerat in the next over as the stands erupted. Moises Henriques played a cameo (28 off 24 balls) before departing as he tried to up the ante. Eoin Morgan thumped two sixes and a four to mess up Maxwell’s otherwise tidy figures.
SCOREBOARD
Sunrisers Hyderabad: D. Warner c Gurkeerat b Hendricks 81, S. Dhawan st Saha b Maxwell 24, M. Henriques c Anureet b Gurkeerat 28, E. Morgan c Vohra b Hendricks 17, N. Ojha (run out) 2, K.L. Rahul (not out) 17, Karn Sharma (not out) 11. Extras (b-1, w-3, nb-1) 5. Total (for five wickets in 20 overs) 185.
FoW: 1-56, 2-121, 3-140, 4-157, 5-157.
Bowling: Sandeep 4-0-33-0, Anureet 4-0-37-0, Hendricks 4-0-40-2, Gurkeerat 3-0-27-1, Maxwell 3-0-28-1, Patel 2-0-19-0.
Kings XI Punjab: M. Vijay c Dhawan b B. Sharma 24, M. Vohra c Kumar b B. Sharma 20, W. Saha c Rahul b Henriques 5, G. Maxwell c Ojha b Boult 11, D. Miller (not out) 89, G. Bailey c Warner b Henriques 6, G. Singh c Morgan b Henriques 3, A. Patel c Ojha b Kumar 15, B. Hendricks (not out) 0 Extras (lb-3, w-4) 7. Total (for seven wickets in 20 overs) 180.
FoW: 1-42, 2-47, 3-60, 4-65, 5-81, 6-99, 7-158.
Bowling: B. Kumar 4-0-34-1, T. Boult 4-0-45-1, I. Sharma 4-0-49-0, B. Sharma 2-0-13-2, M. Henriques 4-0-16-3, K. Sharma 2-0-20-0.
( Source : dc )
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