Rishabh Pant’s maiden IPL ton went in vain as Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson fired Sunrisers Hyderabad to a thumping 9-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils. Both Dhawan and Williamson hit fifties to guide Sunrisers to their ninth win of the season.
Chasing a huge 188, the Sunrisers were off to a poor start as their opener Alex Hales departed after scoring just 14. However, it was not the precursor of the things that were to follow. Shikhar Dhawan and in-form Kane Williamson looked at ease right from the word go. The duo helped the Sunrisers recover from the poor start and lay the foundation for a brilliant chase.
At the end of the powerplay, the score was 51 for 1. They continued to make merry with the bat as Sunrisers raced away to 91 at the halfway stage. Dhawan was the aggressor during the stand while Williamson played the role of the second fiddle to perfection.
The India batting star reached his fifty off just 29 balls while Williamson hit his compatriot Trent Boult for a four to reach the milestone off 38 balls. With both the batsmen going strong, the visitors breached the 150-run mark in just the 15th over. From thereon, it was just a formality as the Sunrisers needed just 36 runs off the final five overs. Sunrisers eventually reached the target in the 19th over. Dhawan remained unbeaten on 92 while Williamson remained unbeaten on 80.
Earlier in the match, Rishabh pant’s stunning century had helped Delhi recover from 98 for 4 to post a huge 187 for 5.
Shreyas Iyer’s decision to bat first against the bowling heavy visitors backfired initially. Shakib Al Hasan dismissed in-form Prithvi Shaw and Jason Roy cheaply to leave the hosts reeling at 21 for 3. The Daredevils then suffered another huge setback when their skipper departed after scoring just 3.
Pant and Harshal Patel then stopped the rot for a while. The duo added 55 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter was run out. From thereon, it was just about Pant. The southpaw initially took his time but accelerated just when his team needed him to. He reached his fifty off 36 deliveries with a six. He then took only 20 more balls to reach the triple-digit. He continued the massacre till the very last ball of the innings.
The 20-year old was in such a devastating form that he took even Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the cleaners. In the final over of the innings, he hit the pacer for two fours and three sixes off 5 balls to finish on a strong note. He remained unbeaten on 128 off 63 balls with the help of 15 fours and 7 sixes.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the match:
Saw McCullum in 2008..rishab pant innings right up there .. what a knock @bcci.@DelhiDaredevils @ParthJindal11
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) May 10, 2018
Can't believe what I just saw! Still remember the 97 he scored against GL last year. Unbelievable hitting from @RishabPant777. Great going my boy. Keep it up. #DDvSRH #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/AK3mpC29Bx
— Suresh Raina?? (@ImRaina) May 10, 2018
Really special innings from Rishabh. Those were not bad balls from Bhuvi in the last over barring the last full toss, but Rishabh Pant is really special and I hope he is nurtured well. #DDvSRH
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 10, 2018
One handed sixes and hitting even good balls out of the park. This was as good an innings you will ever see in a T-20 match against the best bowling line up in the IPL, absolutely clean striking. Take a bow, Rishabh Pant #DDvSRH
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 10, 2018
Delhi Daredevils making sure that they suck the souls out of their fans completely before ending this season. #IPL2018
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) May 10, 2018
Kane Williamson, for sheer watching pleasure — apart from prolific run getting — you are a class apart! ?
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 10, 2018
Williamson iss saal Gautam Gambhir bane hain?
— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) May 10, 2018
I wanted to check how good #SRH were in a big run-chase. Another big box ticked. Such a calm run-chase. And the form of Shikhar Dhawan will give them joy. Now they only need Manish Pandey to get a big innings behind him.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/SirIshantSharma/status/994634410388480001
Shikhar Dhawan’s return could mean a few more substantial scores on the trot – more than most, he’s a big form player.#DDvSRH
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) May 10, 2018
Give them 100 more runs and Delhi might still lose this game. This has been an RCB-level defending from the Daredevils.
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) May 10, 2018
Dhawan's inning today seem like a taunt to new kids on the block. "बेटा ऐसे खेलते हैं क्रिकेट!"
— cricBC (@cricBC) May 10, 2018
What Rishab pant can do , Shikhar Dhawan can do better .? #VIVOIPL #PerfectFan @SunRisers
— Prithvi (@prithvicena21) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant is the most fearless Indian batsman since Virender Sehwag. #DDvSRH
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 10, 2018
Only Gabbar Can Win This For Sunrisers Hyderabad. And He Knows It Too. Going Strong So Far. Come On Shikhar Dhawan. ??? #SRHvDD #DDvSRH
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) May 10, 2018
What an amazing innings from Rishabh Pant. Incredible talent and skill!
— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) May 10, 2018
Innings of this year's #IPL. #RishabhPant. #Special.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 10, 2018
More and more I am convinced there is something special about Rishabh Pant.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 10, 2018
Incredibly special ? by Rishabh Pant #IPL2018
— Ajit Agarkar (@imAagarkar) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant Today: (20 years 218 days)
Youngest to complete 1000 runs in the IPL. (Prev: Sanju Samson 21y 183d)
2nd youngest to score a century in the IPL. (Manish Pandey 19y 253d)#IPL2018 #DDvSRH— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant's 100 is the 50th individual century in #IPL cricket!
1st: Brendon McCullum for KKR on 18 April 2008
25th: Shane Watson for RR on 22 April 2013
50th: Rishabh Pant for DD on 10 May #IPL2018#DDvSRH— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 10, 2018
30 runs off 26 balls. Scored 38 in the next 18 balls. Rishabh Pant has showed that patience has a place in T20 too. Just like Mutual Funds…have patience. @MFSahiHai #FundaSahiHai #DDvSRH #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant has got to be one of the most fearless and powerful young batsmen I have ever come across. First T20 ?. Congratulations.????
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) May 10, 2018
I have said it time and again, Rishabh Pant is the successor of Dhoni. Technique or no technique, the thing is this guy can score and score real quick. Just need to work on his temperament.
— LOLendra Singh (@LOLendraSingh) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant >>> Rohit Sharma when it comes to running out the best batsman of the team & scoring runs even on his behalf#DDvSRH
— Abhay (@ImAbhay3) May 10, 2018
The best bowling attack PANT-Ing for breath. This is a bloody special knock from Rishabh Pant. Been the season of young Indians and this effort is right up there! #VIVOIPL #DDvSRH
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) May 10, 2018
Rishab Pant doing what he does the best! Booooom ?#DDvSRH
— Jaanvi ? (@ThatCric8Girl) May 10, 2018
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar today #DDvSRH pic.twitter.com/NG7nSslJfS
— Vighnesh Rane (@Vighrane01) May 10, 2018
Enough juice left to hit one hand 6 after hitting 20 boundaries. Rishabh Pant has potential to define Indian Circket's future. #IPL
— cricBC (@cricBC) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant facing Bhuvneshwar Kumar #DDvSRH pic.twitter.com/JO6MKK5asO
— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) May 10, 2018
This is how Daredevils fans checking points table. #DDvSRH pic.twitter.com/wO6sWjksI7
— Swapnil (@swapnil_bs) May 10, 2018