Kolkata ousted as Hyderabad take third spot in points table
The Sunrisers Hyderabad produced their best display in IPL 2020 to register a rousing win that fetched them a spot in the playoffs on Tuesday. The 10-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians in Sharjah catapulted them to the third position on the points table. That meant heartbreak for the Kolkata Knight Riders, who make their exit as the Royal Challengers Bangalore take the fourth place. The Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals claimed the top two slots.
Captain David Warner (85 runs off 58 balls) and Wriddhiman Saha (58 off 45) struck the ball cleanly to post a brisk unbeaten first-wicket partnership that helped Hyderabad race to their target in 17.1 overs. The rollicking stand came close on the heels of an excellent performance by their bowlers. Seamer Sandeep Sharma grabbed two wickets in the powerplay, and spinners Shahbaz Nadeem(2-19) and Rashid Khan struck in the middle overs to stall Mumbai. Kieron Pollard smashed a 25-ball 45 to lift a struggling Mumbai to 149/8, but that was not good enough.
Relive the match as it happened...
Half-time report
Pollard’s quickfire 45 gives Mumbai a fighting total
Kieron Pollard smashed a 25-ball 45 to lift a struggling Mumbai to 149/8 and set up the prospect of an exciting finish in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah tonight. Hyderabad did everything right by grabbing two wickets in powerplay before the spinners Shahbaz Nadeem (2-19) and Rashid Khan (1-32) reeled Mumbai in when Suryakumar Yadav (36 runs in 29 balls) and Ishan Kishan (33 off 30) threatened to take charge.
The 12th over bowled by Nadeem was the turning point. His double strike followed by one by Khan meant that Mumbai lost three wickets in seven balls. The innings dawdled before Pollard produced some powerhouse hitting at the death. Chasing 150 on a slow pitch, where the ball is stopping and coming, is tricky. Hyderabad batsmen have to apply themselves to build on the superb effort by their bowlers to win the game and land a place in the playoffs.
See also
- IPL 2020 in UAE: Delhi Capitals beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 6 wickets – as it happened
- IPL 2020 in UAE: M.S.Dhoni puts the ball on Chennai’s court about his future
- IPL 2020 in UAE : Kagiso Rabada wins back the Purple Cap
- IPL 2020 in UAE: Sharjah braces up to host Jio Women’s T20 Challenge next