Sunrisers Hyderabad post massive 287-3 thanks to Travis Head’s hundred; Royal Challengers Bengaluru start off well before losing five wkts by 10th over
SRH’s Travis Head celebrates his century against RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. Pic/PTI
When the most powerful batting line-up of the competition runs into the weakest bowling attack on the flattest of surfaces, the outcome is generally predictable. So it was at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night as Sunrisers Hyderabad laid into Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s shell-shocked bowlers, muscling their way to 287 for three, the second highest total in all T20s. At the time of going to press, RCB were 122-5 in 10 overs. SRH had smashed 277 for three just last month, the highest total in IPL history. Coming into this game, it was on the cards that they could better that against an RCB line-up that had lost its last four matches and was low on confidence and morale.
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Faf du Plessis must be ruing his decision to field first, a decision influenced by the ground’s reputation as a chasing venue. RCB rang in the changes, leaving out the underperforming Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj and handing a debut to Lockie Ferguson, the New Zealand quick. SRH took full toll of the RCB bowling. After a misleadingly quiet first over from offie Jacks that yielded only five, Abhishek Sharma watched from the best seat in the ground as Travis Head (102, 41b, 9x4, 8x6) got down to business. Fours and sixes flowed off his willow with astonishing regularity as the Aussie left-hander brought up the fourth fastest IPL century, in just 39 deliveries.
While Head understandably took most of the accolades, dominating an opening stand of 108 with Abhishek, Heinrich Klaasen (67, 31b, 2x4, 7x6) played a gem of his own. Promoted to No. 3 to cash in on the spectacular opening salvo, the South African matched his Aussie partner stroke for stroke, including a monstrous 106-metre six off Ferguson over long-on that cleared the stadium.
Aiden Markram and the ferocious Abdul Samad then applied the finishing touches, the latter needing a mere 10 balls for his unbeaten 37. RCB conceded 19 fours and 22 sixes, and their plight was best illustrated when Saurav Chauhan put down Samad at deep mid-wicket off the last ball of the innings. SRH blasted 82 in the last five, narrowly missing out on becoming only the second team in all T20s to touch 300, but hey, 287 isn’t too shabby, is it?
Brief scores
SRH 287-3 in 20 overs (T Head 102, H Klaasen 67, A Samad 37*, A Sharma 34, A Markram 32*; L Ferguson 2-52) v RCB (scores incomplete)
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