Picture : Twitter / IPL
In the first match at Pune between The Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals was a one- sided affair. The Royals came out with a clinical all- round show as they powered home by 61 runs against a listless Sunrisers Hyderabad side.
After SRH skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and asked the Royals to bat , the Royals made Williamson rue his decision . The Royals were off to a flier with openers Jos Buttler ( 35) 28 balls, 3 fours and three sixes . His co – partner Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 20 off i6 . The opening stand was quick 58 in 6.1 overs. Then skipper Sanju Samson took over and smashed blazing 27 ball 55 with three fours and five sixes. Devdutt Padikkal scored a quick 41 off 29 balls ( 4 fours 2 sixes).
And adding woes to SRH was the superb finish by West Indian Shimron Hetmyer 32 off mere 13 balls with two fours and three maximums . Royals finishing with an imposing 210/ 6 in their 20 overs .
SRH bowlers had a tough day – Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1/ 29 (4 overs) , Romario Shepherd 1/ 33 (4 overs) , Umran Malik 2/ 39 (4 overs) bowled with some searing pace. Washington Sundar 0/47 (3 overs) struggled , T Natarajan 2/ 43 ( 4 overs) , Abhishek Sharma 0/15 (1 over)
Chasing the big total, SRH floundered from the start and never got going . There were reeling at 37/5 in 10. 2 overs. Batting was let down – Skipper Kane Williamson opening the innings failed ( 2) , Abhishek Sharma ( 9), Rahul Tripathi ( 0), Nicholas Pooran ( 0), Abdul Samad ( 4). Aiden Markram waged a lone battle remaining unbeaten on 57 off 41 balls with five fours two sixes, West Indian Romario Shepherd chipped in with 24 off 18 balls and Washington Sundar striking some lusty blows in his 14 ball 40 with five fours and two sixes. The SRH finishing at 149/ 7 in their 20 overs. Royals winning with ease by 61 runs.
The Royals seem to have the right combination in the bowling this time around . Trent Boult, New Zealand’s numero uno bowler and the best left arm seamer in world cricket today leading the attack. Boult moving on from Mumbai Indians did what he does beat. Taking early wickets. Boult had fine figures of 2/ 23 ( 4 overs) , Prasidh Krishna gave good support with his pace and bounce 2/ 16 ( 4 overs), Ravichandran Ashwin 0/ 21 ( 4 overs) , Yuzvendra Chahal was superb with 3/ 22 ( 4 overs) , Nathan Coulter-Nile struggled for his line 0/ 48 ( 3 overs)
