Twitter Reactions: SRH put up a strong display in Dubai to hand DC their third consecutive loss

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have stayed alive in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) with a huge win over the Delhi Capitals (DC). The teams seem to have found a way to get the better of the Capitals as even SRH played attacking cricket to post a mammoth total on the board and then defended it comfortably. DC’s campaign has gone the other way around in the second half of IPL as they have now lost their third consecutive game.

After being invited to bat first, SRH’s new opening pair of David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha came out to bat with intent and the duo didn’t spare any of the DC bowlers. The former got going in the powerplay itself taking on the likes of Ravi Ashwin and Anrich Nortje. However, the real assault was launched on Kagiso Rabada as he was taken for 22 runs in the sixth over of the innings.

SRH reached 77 in the powerplay itself, the highest score this season, even as Warner, the birthday boy, raced to a 25-ball half-century. Saha, at the other end, also got stuck into DC’s bowling playing some brilliant strokes clearing the in-field. The duo added 107 runs in less than 10 overs before Ravi Ashwin got the better of Warner to relieve the DC camp.

However, only worse was waiting for them. Saha threw his bat literally at everything after getting to his own half-century off just 26 deliveries. Manish Pandey, coming in at three, was a mere spectator during the 63-run stand for the second wicket. At one stage, it seemed as if Saha will get to a well deserved ton. But Nortje dismissed him for a well made 87 of 45 balls in the 15th over with the score already reading 170.

Manish Pandey then got into the act and hit some lusty blows. The run-rate came down in the last five overs for SRH but enough damage was already done for them to cross the 200-run mark comfortably. Pandey remained unbeaten 44 in the end while Kane Williamson mustered 11* off 10 as SRH posted 219 runs for the loss of two wickets in 20 overs. After picking up at least a wicket for 25 consecutive innings, Kagiso Rabada finally went wicketless and also conceded 54 runs.

DC crumble in yet another big chase

DC batsmen weren’t comfortable chasing a big total in the previous game and even in this game, the same story continued. They needed a good start from their openers. But Shikhar Dhawan bagged a golden duck and the move of promoting Marcus Stoinis also didn’t work. At 14/2 after two overs, the game seemed done and dusted as DC didn’t boast of any power-hitter in their line-up.

The duo of Shimron Hetmyer and Ajinkya Rahane crawled through for a 40-run stand but the required run-rate only piled up with every passing over. And soon after the powerplay, Rashid Khan came into the attack to leave the Capitals reeling. The Afghanistan leggie sent back Hetmyer and Rahane both in his first over itself and also ended up with the magical figures of 3/7 in his four overs.

Axar Patel was his third scalp as Rashid conceded only joint-second fewest runs in four overs in IPL history ever. Rishabh Pant tried his best to play his shots but DC had no momentum to their innings at any stage. The southpaw mustered 36 off 35 deliveries with three fours and a six and the contest was ended way before. SRH’s every bowler bowled well to bundle out the opposition for just 131 winning the game by a huge margin of 88 runs.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: