Sunrisers overwhelm Daredevils, reclaim top place

HYDERABAD: Sunrisers Hyderabad posted their highest run chase of VIVO IPL 2018 and reclaimed their place at the top of the standings.

After opting to bowl and restricting the visiting Delhi Daredevils to 163, SRH chased down the runs off the penultimate ball, winning the match by 7 wickets.

On a challenging surface at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad, the Delhi Daredevils rode on an attractive halfcentury from Prithvi Shaw and a useful 44 from captain Shreyas Iyer.

The rest of the Daredevils batsmen struggled to force the issue; from 95-1 at the ten over mark, DD could only add 68 runs in the back half. Vijay Shankar’s 13-ball 23 — which included 16 runs off the final over — was chiefly responsible in taking DD past the 160-mark.

SRH were provided the perfect platform for their chase with Alex Hales and Shikhar Dhawan adding 76 runs — the team’s best opening partnership this season. After the openers were dismissed, the batsmen who followed batted smartly, keeping the scoreboard ticking even if they didn’t find the boundary for a period of more than six overs.

Kane Williamson was a calming presence at the crease, scoring at a run-a-ball, while Manish Pandey contributed 21 from 17 balls; the third wicket pair added 46 runs in 6.1 overs to take their team closer. Right at the end, Yusuf Pathan struck two fours and two sixes in his 27 not out — made from 12 balls, to complete the job.

SRH were the beneficiary of two dropped catches; Maxwell put down a sitter off Hales when the batsman was on 9, and Vijay Shankar dropped Yusuf when he was yet to score a run.