GAYLE BOSSES SRH
West Indian slams ton as Kings XI Punjab cruise to 15-run win over Hyderabad
When Chris Gayle is on song it is difficult to stop him. The West Indian showed little mercy towards the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers, taking them to the cleaners on his way to an unbeaten century, in the bargain also steering Kings XI Punjab to a 15-run win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Thursday night.
Chasing a monumental 194 for victory, Hyderabad did give it their best shot with Kane Williamson (54) and Manish Pandey (57 not out) notching half centuries while Shakib Al Hasan played a superb cameo towards the fag end with 24 from 12 balls but with Shikhar Dhawan (retired hurt), Wriddiman Saha (6), Yusuf Pathan (19) and Deepak Hooda (5) failing to get going the task became difficult and SRH were restricted to 178 for 4.
Punjab, thus handed Hyderabad their first defeat in three matches and also joined them and Kolkata Knight Riders on six points.
It was a good toss to win for Ravichandran Ashwin and for a change he decided to set a target rather than chase it, making him the first captain to do so this season.
Punjab went in with an unchanged side while SRH brought in Chris Jordan for Billy Stanlake.
That didn’t seem to bother Gayle as he went about his job in a manner only he knows best, striking 11 sixes and a four during his 63-ball 104 which set the jampacked Punjab Cricket Association’s IS Bindra Stadium on fire.
Punjab started on a cautious note as openers Lokesh Rahul (18) and Gayle stitched a 53-run partnership for the opening wicket.
Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan drew first blood for Hyderabad, dismissing Rahul in the eighth over.
Medium pacer Siddarth Kaul provided another jolt to the hosts, packing back incoming batsman Mayank Agarwal (18) in the 11th over.
Gayle was then joined by Karun Nair (31 off 21 balls; 4x3, 6x1) and the duo shared an 85-run partnership for the third wicket, taking Punjab past the 150-run mark.
By then, Gayle had brought up his sixth IPL ton in just 58 deliveries, with a squeezy drive to point off Kaul and thereafter unleashing his trademark ‘Baby in the arms’ celebration.
Pacer Bhuvaneshwar Kumar got rid-off Nair in the 18th over but Gayle continued to hammer every Hyderabad bowler.
Australian Aaron Finch’s 14 not out off 6 balls in the final moments propelled Punjab to a massive total even as Gayle remained a spectator at the other end. For Hyderabad, Bhuvneshwar, Rashid and Kaul bagged one wicket apiece. — Agencies