New Zealand, West Indies
Jason Holder and Kane Williamson [Photo-IPLT20]

A cool-and-collected 67-run-stand between Kane Williamson and Jason Holder has helped SunRisers Hyderabad claim their 4th consecutive win and in turn knock Royal Challengers Bangalore out of IPL 2020.

Defending a mere 131, the Royal Challengers Bangalore desperately needed an early wicket, which is exactly what they got from the fast bowling duo of Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini.

Siraj beautifully exploited the hint of movement that was on offer and as a result, he induced an outside edge off Shreevats Goswami’s bat to reduce SunRisers Hyderabad to 1/2 in the 1st over.

David Warner and Manish Pandey were initially cautious but they ensured that they dispatched the poor deliveries to keep the scoreboard ticking.

SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Mohammed Siraj [Photo-IPLT20]
Warner smashed Siraj for consecutive boundaries in the 6th over but the right-hander came back brilliantly to cut Warner in half and kiss his gloves as AB de Villiers completed the catch. The on-field decision of not-out was eventually overturned after a long deliberation by 3rd umpire Virender Sharma, following a DRS call by RCB.

With no dew around and the pitch slowing down, RCB needed their spinners to take the game by the scruff off its neck in the middle overs.

Adam Zampa (1-12 in 4 overs) was right on the money from the very first ball he bowled and the pressure that he had built on Manish Pandey (24 off 21 balls) eventually resulted in a wicket after the latter edged one to ABD while trying to back away and cut the leg-spinner. SRH- 3-55.

SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Adam Zampa [Photo-IPLT20]
Zampa gave just six runs in his first three overs while Chahal conceded 10 in his 2 overs as SRH managed just 16 runs between 6-11 with Kane Williamson and Priyam Garg (7 off 13 balls) struggling against the spin duo.

And, the pressure of dot balls eventually got to Garg, who in an attempt to chip Chahal over deep extra-cover holed out to Adam Zampa in the very next over.

With SunRisers Hyderabad in a hole against spinners, they once again needed Jason Holder and Williamson to hold the innings together.

SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Kane Williamson [Photo-IPLT20]
Kane Williamson stroked the first boundary in 25 balls when he smoked Sundar for a six over deep midwicket in the 14th over.

The equation eventually boiled down to 45 off 30 balls after the duo milked Zampa for six singles in the preceding over. Williamson nailed another crucial six against Chahal in the 17th over after the first 5 balls had yielded just 4 runs.

Kane Williamson regained his elements to the hilt after a scratchy start as he stroked yet another timely boundary in the next over bowled by Shivam Dube as SunRisers Hyderabad brought their 100 up in the 17th over.

With 28 needed off 18, RCB needed Saini and Siraj to back up their spinners. Saini very nearly got Williamson thanks to a brilliant effort by Devdutt Padikkal at the deep midwicket boundary, who unfortunately could not take the catch on the rebound after he lost his footing.

And, Williamson [50 not-out off 44 balls] proceeded to rub salt on the wounds as he cheekily dabbed Saini towards third-man for another timely boundary. Siraj gave 9 runs in the penultimate over, leaving Navdeep Saini nine runs in the bank to defend in the final over. The Kiwi skipper brought up his half-century with a single on the 1st delivery before Jason Holder [24 not-out off 20 balls] used his long levers to smash consecutive fours to knock RCB out of the IPL.

 

 

Royal Challengers Bangalore made a mere 131 against a relentless SunRisers Hyderabad attack

Batting first, Royal Challengers Bangalore made a tactical punt by slotting skipper Virat Kohli at the opening spot.

But the move, unfortunately, did not work as Jason Holder strangled the charismatic batsman down the leg-side for a 7-ball 6. Holder once again bowled beautifully in the powerplay. The tall all-rounder gave literally nothing away and claimed two prized scalps in Kohli and the inform Devdutt Padikkal.

SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Jason Holder T20][Photo-IPL
Padikkal, who had struggled his way to a 5-ball 1, perished while trying to pull Holder towards mid-wicket. With the score reading 2-23 after 5 overs, Royal Challengers Bangalore needed a bit of magic from the duo of AB de Villiers and Aaron Finch.

But the spin duo of Shahbaz Nadeem and Rashid Khan ensured that the stranglehold was maintained as de Villiers and Finch struggled to get going as RCB hobbled their way to 2-45 after 9 overs.

Aaron Finch made his intentions clear immediately after the time-out when he stroked a six off Rashid Khan but one shot proved too many for the Australian as he holed out in the next over after he mistimed an inside-out lofted drive against Nadeem.

And, to make things even worse, Moeen Ali proceeded to get run-out on a free-hit in the very same over after he ran for a non-existent run following a drive to covers. Rashid Khan’s rocket throw did the rest.

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T Natarajan, AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers [Photo-IPLT20]
Shivam Dube survived a close LBW call against Rashid Khan but he failed to make it count thanks to that man again, Jason Holder, who came back in his second spell to dismiss the southpaw for a 13-ball 8.

AB de Villiers looked like getting back into his groove after a slow start after he thumped a few classy boundaries. ‘Mr 360°’ brought up his 50 and his sides’ hundred with a flick off Holder. But RCB needed a lot more from their champion batsman.

T Natarajan, AB de Villiers
T Natarajan cleaned up AB de Villiers [Photo-IPLT20]
But T Natarajan’s with his deadly yorker ensured that he got rid of ABD [56 off 43 balls] ensured that the Royal Challengers Bangalore did not get the flourish that they desperately needed, eventually ending at an underwhelming 131 after 20 overs.

 

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