SunRisers Hyderabad, SRH
SRH beat DC in Dubai [Photo-BCCI/IPL]
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Whirlwind knocks from David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha and a spin-bowling masterclass helped SunRisers Hyderabad [SRH] to maul a listless Delhi Capitals [DC] by 88 runs in Dubai on Tuesday.

Chasing 219, Delhi Capitals needed their in-form opener, Shikhar Dhawan to come up with another substantial score. But their hopes were extinguished in the very first over after the southpaw mistimed an inside-out drive off Sandeep Sharma straight to David Warner.

In order to maximize the powerplay, DC promoted Marcus Stoinis ahead of Shreyas Iyer, and the Australian announced his arrival with a brilliant flick over mid-wicket for a boundary.

SRH, DC
David Warner [Photo-BCCI/Twitter]
But it proved to be his last productive stroke as he holed out to David Warner at mid-off while trying to loft Shahbaz Nadeem.

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The batting order rejigs continued for DC as they slotted Shimron Hetmyer ahead of Iyer.  And, Hetmyer and Rahane ensured that his side made some positive strides in the powerplay by smashing six fours and a six t to take the total to 2-54 after six.

SRH. DC
Rashid Khan [Photo-BCCI/Twitter]
But Hetmyer couldn’t capitalize on his start and was castled by Rashid Khan, who went on to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane in the very same over, leaving DC reeling at 4-56.

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Just 19 runs came in the next four overs as Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant struggled to force the issue against Rashid Khan and Vijay Shankar.

The asking run-rate kept on mounting and the need to get on with it eventually led to the downfall of Shreyas Iyer (7 off 12 balls) after he mistimed the cut shot straight to Kane Williamson, leaving DC further stranded at 5-78. Axar Patel tried to launch Rashid Khan [3-7 in four overs] in the stands but the champion spinner was just too good today. Patel tried to hoike him over mid-wicket but could only manage it as far as Kane Williamson, who claimed an easy catch to leave DC down in the dumps at 6-83 after 13 overs.

T Natarajan cleaned up Kagiso Rabada with a brute of a yorker and with DC requiring needing an impossible 117 runs off 24 balls, the only interest in the game as far as DC’s fan is concerned was whether Rishabh Pant would be able to bridge the gap of defeat, which he couldn’t as he was dismissed by Sandeep Sharma for 35.

Tushar Deshpande [20 off 9 balls[ stroked some lusty blows in the end against Sandeep Sharma and T Natarajan before the latter finally closed off the proceedings by dismissing Nortje to help SRH notch up an 88-run-win.

Wriddhiman Saha and David Warner’s belligerence propelled SRH to 219/2

SRH, DC
David Warner and Wridhimann Saha [Photo- BCCI/IPL]
SunRisers Hyderabad made a huge call by dropping Jonny Bairstow for the crucial encounter against Delhi Capitals. But Wriddhiman Saha, who opened the innings with David Warner, made sure that SRH did not miss Jonny Bairstow one bit. Saha showed clear intent right from the outset as he stroked four boundaries in his first 10 balls.

David Warner has been circumspect in his approach in this IPL but that wasn’t the case on Tuesday. On his birthday, Warner chose to unlock his beast mode as he smoked the DC bowlers to all corners of the ground in the first powerplay.

Warner and Saha attacked DC’s fast bowling duo of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje in the first six overs. The 50-run partnership came in the 5th over and Warner decided to celebrate that by taking Rabada to the cleaners in the last over of the powerplay.

SRH, DC
David Warner [Photo-BCCI/IPL]
The SRH skipper smoked Rabada for four boundaries and a six to not only bring up his half-century in a mere 25 balls but also ensure that the Orange Army posted a record 77 runs in the first six.

Meanwhile, Saha continued to chip away with some exquisite boundaries against Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel. The duo completed the 100-run-stand in the 9th overs bowled by Tushar Deshpande.

With Warner on such a rampage, DC needed something special to get rid of him. And, that is exactly what happened thanks to Ashwin. After Warne had smashed Ashwin over the covers for a boundary, the off-spinner lulled the southpaw into the same stroke. But the problem was, Ashwin had slowed down the pace of the ball, which led to Warner mistiming to Axar Patel at the extra-cover region.

SRH, DC
Wriddhiman Saha [Photo-BCCI/IPL]
Saha, however, continued with the onslaught. The wicketkeeper-batsman brought up his half-century with a cheeky pull behind square in just 27 balls and then proceeded to celebrate it with a delicious cut for another boundary. And, if that wasn’t enough, he slog-swept Axar Patel for a six before cutting him for a four in the next over to further rub salt in Delhi’s wounds.

Even Rabada wasn’t spared as Saha launched him for a six towards mid-wicket in the next over to bring up SRH’s hundred and take his tally to 78 off 40 balls. Saha was not only exquisite in his strokeplay, but he was also pretty cheeky, something he displayed to the hilt with a dab towards third-man off Marcus Stoinis, one that took him in the 80s. The onslaught finally ended when Saha-for once- mistimed a lofted drive against Anrich Nortje, only to give Iyer catching practice at mid-off.

After Saha’s dismissal, Manish Pandey ensured that he continued with the momentum as he smashed Tushar Deshpande for two fours and a six in the 17th over to take the total close to the 200-run-mark. The last three over went for 23 runs as SRH ended up posting the highest total in Dubai in this edition- 2-219.

Also Read- Led By Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Twitter Lauds Wriddhiman Saha For Whirlwind Knock Against DC

Here’s how Twitter reacted to SunRisers Hyderabad’s win over DC:

Yash Mittal

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Just a student of this beautiful game called cricket. Writer. Storyteller.