IN PICS: Warner slams century as Hyderabad register huge win

Sport360 staff 00:13 01/05/2017

David Warner struck a magnificent century to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad to a 48-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The Australian opening batsman took just 43 deliveries to reach his hundred which came in only the 11th over as he took the Kolkata bowlers to the cleaners.

In the end, Warner managed to score 126 runs from just 59 balls in a knock which included 10 fours and eight sixes.

Warner’s hundred was, in fact, the first three-digit score by a Sunrisers batsman since the franchise started their Indian Premier League [IPL] journey back in 2013. It was also the highest individual score by a captain in the tournament’s history.

The Sunrisers skipper and Shikhar Dhawan added 139 runs for the first wicket which was their second consecutive century stand. Dhawan played the perfect second fiddle, scoring just 29 of the runs in the partnership.

Kane Williamson has looked in great form since returning to the Hyderabad playing XI this season. The New Zealand captain helped himself to a 25-ball 40 as the hosts ended their innings on 209-3.

In reply, Kolkata desperately needed Sunil Narine to get them off to a swift start – something he had done well in previous matches. But this time around, the West Indian was dismissed for just one by young fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.

Gautam Gambhir, who has been outstanding this season, also failed to get going as his innings was cut short on 11 by Siddarth Kaul.

Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey looked like they would bring the visitors back into the game as they put on a 78-run partnership, but Warner realised the threat and brought his strike bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar back into the attack and the Indian pacer duly got the wicket of Pandey.

Uthappa was still at the crease and was striking the ball beautifully as he brought up his third half-century in as many matches. He was on 53 [four fours and four sixes] when he mistimed a slower delivery from Siraj straight to Warner at long-off.

The wicket of Uthappa, more or less, ended whatever hopes the Knight Riders had of winning the game.

Siraj, Kaul, and Bhuvneshwar all produced impressive performances with the ball – with each of them picking up two wickets apiece.

In the end, Kolkata managed 161-7 in their 20 overs and fell short of Hyderabad’s total by 48 runs.

Speaking after the game, Warner said that going hard with the bat in the Powerplay was a plan and he was glad that it came together.

“We always try to set the tone in the first six [overs] and today, it paid off. You see the last game as well, the way Shikhar set it up and obviously, we try to lead from the front as opening batsmen,” said Warner.

Despite the loss, Kolkata are still at the top of the table with 14 points from 10 matches while Hyderabad are just one point behind in third, having played the same number of games.

BRIEF SCORES

Sunrisers Hyderabad 209-3, 20 overs [Warner 126, Williamson 40, Woakes 1-46] beat Kolkata Knight Riders 161-7, 20 overs [Uthappa 53, Pandey 39, Siraj 2-26, Kaul 2-26,] by 48 runs.

Player of the Match – David Warner

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