Press Trust of India
Hyderabad, May 15: Rain, rain go away… that is what Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli must be doing all the while now. In their make-or-break IPL-VIII game against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) here Friday at the Uppal Stadium, rain once more came back to haunt the Bangalore side who had also lost the last game against KXIP, which was another rain-curtailed affair.
In a match reduced to 11 overs a side, SRH, after winning the toss, plundered 135 for the loss of three wickets courtesy some audacious and cheeky hitting by David Warner (52 n o, 35b, 5×4, 1×6) and Moises Henriques (57, 22b, 5×4, 4×6). The two also added 103 runs for the second wicket in 43 balls to completely take the wind out of the RCB bowlers.
RCB, however, will have themselves to blame for such a show. They grassed Henriques twice during his innings, the second one a dolly at point by Sarfaraz Khan, the bowler two suffer being Mitchell Starc, who was the only one to look impressive.
While Henriques went on hitting straight and conventional shots on both sides of the wicket, Warner’s switch hits had a devastating effect on the RCB bowlers. He even had the audacity to hit leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal over the point fence (left-hander’s side) even when the bowler tossed the ball outside his leg stump. The bowlers tried their best to contain Warner, but to no avail.
Henriques, finally fell caught behind by David Wiese’s (2/20) change of pace, but by that time the damage had been done. RCB fielding was also shoddy but then the wet ground made gripping the ball very difficult.
Brief scores: SRH 135 for 3 (Moises Henriques 57, David Warner 52 n o, David Wiese 2/20). Match to continue
