Sunrisers Hyderabad put in a dominant display against Rajasthan Royals to register a nine-wicket win with 25 deliveries to spare in the IPL on Monday.
In a thoroughly one-sided affair, Sunrisers restricted the Royals to 125-9 following an all-round effort with the ball and in the field.
Seamer Siddarth Kaul (2-17) and spinners Shakib Al Hasan (2-23) and Rashid Khan (1-23) put the brakes on Rajasthan’s scoring before opener Shikhar Dhawan (77 not out) ended all hopes of a Royals fightback.
Here are the talking points from Sunrisers’ comfortable win on Monday.
BILLY ON THE BALL
Sunrisers’ Aussie fast bowler Billy Stanlake set the tone of the match with the new ball, bowling with the speed of light. Rajasthan top-scorer Sanju Samson (49) was either missing deliveries from Stanlake or struggling to put bat to ball as the tall quick touched speeds of 147kph.
The dismissal of opener D’Arcy Short via a run-out in the opening over had already pegged Rajasthan back and Stanlake’s thunderbolts only added to their misery.
SPINNERS TURN UP THE HEAT
Sunrisers spinners Al Hasan (2-23) and Khan (1-23) did not let the Royals batsmen take cheap runs off them. While Shakib accounted for top-scorer Samson, thanks to the second brilliant catch of the day by Khan after his effort to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane, Khan castled Jos Buttler to take out the biggest threats in the death overs.
Seamer Kaul’s effort was also noteworthy as he used the short ball to good effect throughout the innings, defying his diminutive physique.
Nice catch by Rashid khan#SRH vs RR pic.twitter.com/JUSklhUDOJ
— sportsajay (@sportsajay4) April 9, 2018
RAHANE GRASSES A SITTER
Defending a small total like 125 is difficult but not impossible. For that, you need to catch everything that comes your way. However, in the first over of the chase bowled by Dhawal Kulkarni, captain Rahane dropped the dangerous Dhawan at first slip. It was a straightforward edge that carried hip high to Rahane who grassed it. Dhawan was yet to open his account at the time.
Dhawan made 77 after being dropped on zero.
DHAWAN MAKES ROYALS PAY
Top-class batsmen like Dhawan don’t need a second invitation to cash in on their fortune. Once the chance went down at slip, Dhawan decided to end the game on his own. He lost fellow opener Wriddhiman Saha (5) but found a perfect partner in captain Kane Williamson (36 not out).
It was Dhawan who hit the first six of the match in the third over of the chase. He did not let any bowlers – seam or spin – settle and hit at least one boundary per over for six overs in a row in the first half if the chase. Game over.
