Fortune favours the brave; Luck is a fickle thing
The fans of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings will have contrasting takes on Abhishek Sharma’s whirlwind knock. Let’s revisit the action packed Saturday.
Bahubali: The beginning – Shreyas Iyer
Punjab Kings did a Sunrisers Hyderabad to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Priyansh Arya (36 off 13) and Prabhsimran Singh (42 off 23) powered PBKS to their 2nd best powerplay (89/1) score in IPL. Shreyas Iyer continued his marauding form, with a scintillating 82 off just 36 balls, Shreyas blasted his fastest IPL fifty in just 22 balls. Harshal Patel’s 4/42 dragged SRH back, until Marcus Stoinis took matters into his own hands. Marcus Stoinis smashed four straight sixes off Mohammed Shami in the final over of the innings. Shami went for 75 runs in his four overs, the 2nd most expensive figures in IPL, behind Jofra Archer’s 0/76 against SRH, earlier this season.
Punjab Kings did a Sunrisers Hyderabad to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Bahubali 2: The conclusion – Abhishek Sharma
Sunrisers Hyderabad did a Sunrisers Hyderabad to Punjab Kings.
Abhishek Sharma tried to get out by several modes – Dropped on 4 by Marcus Stoinis, survived a run out scare on 18, Dismissed off a no ball by Yash Thakur on 28, miscued shot landing between three fielders – and somehow raced away to 49 off 18 by the end of the powerplay. Punjab Kings’ misery compounded when Lockie Ferguson walked off, holding his thigh, after bowling just 2 balls.
37 balls and 92 runs later, Abhishek Sharma walked off to a standing ovation. Why not? He broke records after records. First IPL century, check. Highest score in an IPL chase, double check. Highest score by an Indian in IPL, triple check. The left-hander from Punjab scored 141 off 55 balls, cracking 14 fours and 10 sixes. The most scintillating knock in an IPL run chase ended when the required run rate was brought down from 12.3 to 6.5.
Travis Head (66 off 37) played the perfect second-fiddle role in the 171-run opening stand. SRH restored normalcy by achieving the 2nd highest successful run chase (247/2) in IPL. ‘Travishek’ is finally back, after a minor glitch. Sunrisers Hyderabad are off the bottom of the table.
Pooran – Markram outshine Gill – Sudharsan
Host Lucknow Super Giants posted their fourth of the season, and in the process stopped the four-game winning streak of their visitors, Gujarat Titans. GT also dropped from the top of the points table. LSG remain at 3rd in the points table
Gujarat Titans’ openers added 120 runs for the first wicket, yet they finished with just 180 runs on the board. The home team crashed from 103/0 after 10 overs to 180/6 in 20 overs. Openers Shubman Gill (60) and Sai Sudharsan (56) added 120 for the first wicket. LSG bowlers made a strong comeback in the final few overs. Shardul Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi took 2 wickets each.
LSG opener Aiden Markram took the responsibility of providing a good start in the absence of Mitchell Marsh. Marsh missed the game to look after his unwell daughter. Markram (58 off 31) and captain Rishabh Pant (21 off 18) added 65 for the first wicket. It wasn’t the most fluent partnership. GT fielders fluffed as many as four chances, two to Markram and two to Pant. Wicket-keeper Jos Buttler had a disappointing day with the gloves. He dropped a run out chance towards the closing stages of the game as well.
Nicholas Pooran took centerstage after Rishabh Pant’s departure. Pooran smashed 7 sixes and just 1 four in his 34-ball 61. He has 31 sixes in six games this season. Ayush Badoni’s unbeaten 28 took the team home in the final over.
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