Looking like an easy target on a less difficult pitch, the Hyderabad batsmen failed to show any intention as they ended up at 137/6
Updated – Tue, 4/25/23 at 12:49am
Delhi Capitals celebrate after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajivgan Floor Stadium in Hyderabad. — Photo: Anand Dharmana
Hyderabad: Hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad were seppuku in pursuit of a modest 145-run goal after losing by seven runs to bottom-placed Delhi Capitals in a low-scoring match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal on Monday.
Looking like an easy target on a not-so-difficult pitch, the Hyderabad batsmen came with a reaper. They showed no intention as they finished 137/6 from 20 rounds.
Washington Sundar (3/28) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/11 (4-0-11-2) bowled with the intention of limiting the Capitals to 144/9, but their impressive efforts were in vain. It was the Sunrisers’ fifth defeat, while Capitals secured their second win of the season to keep the competition alive.
The hosts got off to a solid start in the chase. Harry Brook continued to struggle to find a rhythm, while Mayank occasionally found boundaries. Anrich Nortje ended Brook’s stay by knocking stumps when the batsman attempted a tackle as the hosts were 36/1 in their first six games. The scoring moved at a snail’s pace, 58/1 in 10 overs.
Mayank took 76 off 51 balls caught in Axar Patel’s long attack in the 12th innings and he struck 39 balls 49 (7×4). Ishant Sharma returned to dismiss Rahul Tripathi (15 for 21), while Kuldeep sent Abhishek Sharma (5) back to the pavilion. Axar then delivered a crucial strike against Aiden Markram (3) in the 15th over to reduce the Sunrisers to 89/5 for 15 overs.
Heinrich Klaassen hit a top-six in the 17th inning for the hosts, throwing a 3-pointer to bring the equation to 38. Klaasen hit Mukesh a couple of boundaries and Sundar hit another to make it over 15. With 23 balls needed for 12 balls, Klaasen was brought down by Marsh on the first ball of No. 29 Nortje. But he struck out 19-ball 31 (3 x 4, 1 x 6) from deep cover on the next ball. Mukesh conceded just five as the hosts needed 13 in the final.
Earlier, Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided a perfect start, dismissing Phil Salt with a duck on the third ball of the first over. Mitchell Marsh hit a four off Marco Jansen and looked promising.
However, he was dismissed (25 for 15) as T Natarajan’s lbw after a successful DRS appeal. David Warner came on hard as he scored one goal in nine and the visitors were 49/2 in power play.
Sundar, who has been wicketless so far this season, took three wickets at the end of the eighth innings to turn the game around. He similarly sacked Warner (21 for 21; 2×4, 1×6) and Safaraz Khan (10) as both batsmen attempted sweeps but ended up hitting on the rear square legs into the hand.
Aman Khan then hit the next ball over the line but covered it on the top edge of the next ball. A triple whammy cut the visitors from 56/2 to 62/5.
Manish Pandey and Axar Patel tried to steady the ship with a 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Axar tried to provide momentum in the 17th inning when they hit three fours off Markande in a row.
But Bhuvi returned, sending the southpaw to the pavilion with a pinpoint york. Delhi lost the next over to Manishpandey (34 for 27) trying to grab a second point. In the final round at Bhuvi, Ripal Patel and Anrich Nortje were also eliminated as the visitors scored less than the paddle.
