For the second game in a row, a team which has already been knocked out set a team desperate to secure a spot in the top two, a target over 230, something that has not been chased more than twice in the history of IPL.  And for the second time in a row, till around the 15th over, the team chasing looked to almost pull it off, till a flurry of wickets sealed the game in favour of the team batting first.

Yesterday, it was Lucknow Super Giants who managed to pull it off over Gujarat Titans, and today, Sunrisers Hyderabad followed a similar path to go past Royal Challengers Bengalruru by 42 runs. With this defeat, RCB have allowed things to not just remain in their own hands but are also now dependent on other games to ensure that they finish in the top two.

 

 

 

 

 

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With stand in captain Jitesh and regular captain Patidar in the middle, RCB seemed to be in total control, and despite losing Mayank and Salt in quick succession, but some good bowling by the SRH bowlers, meant the pressure kept building up and the RCB batters wilted under the pressure, losing their last seven wickets for just 16 runs in 4.1 overs, eventually getting bowled out for a total of 189, chasing a total of 232. This defeat also means that they have now fallen below PBKS in the net run rate, and that could become a factor even as the league stage comes to an end.

 

 

 

 

 

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Earlier, Salt and Kohli had got RCB off to a flying start with Kohli being the aggressor initially, and then Salt, making a successful comeback from an injury, took over after Kohli left, and finished as the top scorer, making 62 off just 32 balls. For SRH, their captain finished with figures of 3/28 off his 4 overs, but he will be the first to admit it was his other bowlers who brought them back in the match with incisive bowling in the middle. They were also helped with some poor running and the fact that a hobbling Tim David could not run and ended up eating a few crucial deliveries, though it might not be wrong to say that the game was already decided by the time he walked out. 

 

 

 

 

 

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The game began with RCB choosing to field first, and they would have instantly regretted it as the formidable Travis Head and Abhishek put up a 50 partnership in just over four overs. RCB would have felt they are back in the game when a double blow at the score 54 had both of the batters back in the pavilion. However, Ishan Kishan took up the mantle and scored a fabulous 94 off just 48 balls, narrowly missing out on a 2nd century for the season. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Even though SRH kept losing wickets at the other end, Ishan kept going on. Klassen and Aniket made other notable cameos, all of it culminating in an imposing total of 231/6. The RCB bowlers seem to struggle against the rampage and had only a few odd moments of joy during the 1st half of the game. They seemed to miss their main spearhead in Josh Hazlewood. Romario Shepherd, who bowled just two overs, was the pick of their bowlers and finished with figures of 2/14.

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