The IPL gave cricket fanatics all the reasons once again to suggest that this is the best entertaining league and here once again KreedOn had its predictions correct with Sunrisers Hyderabad playing against Punjab Kings which had all that you could ask for, be it the big hitting, tight finishes and major turning points it had the crowd enthralled till the very last ball with the very last hit.
Story so far with a lot to play for in the encounter for both sides with the Sunrisers looking to stay alive for a place in the play offs with Punjab Kings needing crucial points on the table, and knowing how important the tie was, both the players from either sides knew that it is about time that the business is done under pressure. The bleachers were absolutely packed with supporters, waving team flags done with all the possible fervor and all of it to sum it up and the conditions looked set for one more unique IPL night with Playkaro
SRH vs PBKS Match Overview
SRH VS PBKS Match overview Punjab chose to bat after winning the toss, which indeed was the correct decision given the pitch seemed a batting friendly one. With the nature of the pitch being a flat one, genuine bounce and the good pace it has looked like it’s a batters delight given the boundaries on one side of the park is not very long. Sunrisers on the other hand would have been under pressure knowing that if the top order Punjab batted could settle in and it would be very tough to defend it later in the night. Punjab batsmen look composed and are all set to unleash some hard hitting.
Punjab Kings Innings
Punjab Kings looked to come in with some sort of intent with body language stating they were going all guns blazing from the word go with their opening pair looking in great form and full of focus with the bat. The body language was enough for one to get a clue on what the intent of Punjab batsmen was going to be. They looked to dominate the power play and put the Hyderabad bowlers under pressure from the very beginning.
Explosive Start in the Powerplay
The openers were attacking from the get go, punishing every loose ball they were able to get their hands to, and started racking runs up on the board at a very good pace from both ends. Powerful pulls to shots over the head of the bowler, flicks through the square leg region and lofted drives over the infielder made sure the pressure was on the Sunrisers.
The middle order batsmen looked totally in control, with the quickies trying various lines and lengths. With brilliant footwork, exceptional timing and effective communication, they made sure their batting innings was one to remember. At the end of the 6 overs the run rate was already over 10 runs per over and looked well set to smash in a large total, so much so that Hyderabad’s captain tried his hand at different bowling changes trying to contain them.
Hyderabad bowlers were looking to hit back and control the run rate, and it worked somewhat as they managed to pick a wicket of a miscued shot, and this was the energy boost that the Sunrisers required. The team looked to increase the tempo and pace, and tried to make sure the batsmen were not comfortable while batting, restricting runs to the boundary by fielding the ball well on the ground and stopping the singles, and for a moment Punjab looked slightly unsettled.
MIDDLE ORDER BATTERS STAYED IN THE GAME
In the middle over, it was the turn of the middle order batsman to play the crucial role by not letting Hyderabad make any sort of a comeback and just taking the attack to the bowlers with the right combination of hitting and singles. They made sure they did not allow the pressure to mount up, kept rotating the strike effectively with clever shots that found gaps to bring up some valuable singles and doubles, and any loose ball was smashed for boundaries.
This part of the innings was important for Punjab because with some quality batting in the middle over’s they did not allow Hyderabad to totally dominate, with intelligent batting that displayed both aggressive instincts and skill of timing the ball to perfection, with the batsmen still being under pressure at times, but still managing to do enough to ensure the asking run rate did not creep up too high with some powerful boundaries at various points.
The last 5 overs were completely Punjab’s and their finishers in a way took the game away completely by attacking the bowlers and every opportunity that arose, with Yorkies being driven to the fence, slower balls being timed accurately, and some good lengths being sent into the stands, with some really big shots coming in the 18th and 19th over, with the home team’s bowlers struggling to maintain their cool.
Punjab Kings amassed a great total of 201/5 by the end of their allotted 20 overs which looked like a truly defining score in the match. Punjab Kings batsmen had laid down the foundation with their openers having a wonderful time in the powerplay, while their middle order batted wisely and the finishers ensured they were above 200 in the innings.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Chase Chasing a 200+ score on the board is never an easy task but in an IPL game, the fear is always put to rest and that is what SRH were aiming at with their explosive opening batsmen who looked fearless as they walked into the ground. Hyderabad had a huge belief that they were there to get the runs and that is exactly how they approached the game with the openers coming out to bat and looking at killing the match from the first ball itself. Boundaries were coming on both sides of the park by aggressive drivers, pull shots, and cover drives over the infield with the Punjab bowling attack looking somewhat confused to their approach and the whole dynamic of the chase changing as Hyderabad went after them with full throttle.
SRH MAKING A STAMP OF APPROVAL
Hyderabad’s openers made sure that they took full advantage of the field restrictions with quick singles being taken with deft placement of the ball to the field, and boundaries with the most pleasing cover drives being hit over extra cover.
With Hyderabad scoring at a similar pace and keeping the scoreboard ticking, the chase was well and truly on from the beginning with Punjab’s bowlers trying their utmost but struggling to restrict them from the very beginning as they kept on getting the boundaries, which was not an ideal start for Punjab at all given the pressure in the stadium. Punjab got their first wicket post the powerplay which did relieve them of some pressure however this wicket was of the openers who had already set them up.
It did bring Punjab into the game for a while, with the fielders making a more urgent move in chasing after the ball and looking for the wickets as the scoring slowed down slightly with Hyderabad unable to find a lot of boundary shots.
The crowd went into a frenzy as Sunrisers Hyderabad snatched the victory from the hands of the Punjab Kings in what was a closely fought match. It was the greatest come back by Sunrisers Hyderabad which has given them the all important belief and the whole team will look to feed off of this momentum to carry themselves to the playoffs with what is left.Punjab Kings on the other hand will know that they need to work harder as they look to compete for a spot.
Match Turning Point
The victory has given the Sunrisers a lot of confidence in their pursuit for the playoffs and their hopes are very much alive, whilst Punjab now under a bit of pressure with some significant matches to play.
Impact on IPL Points Table
The game took an amazing turn in the 18th over Hyderabad attacked aggressively and within six balls, the game had completely altered. Till then it was the Punjab Kings domination, however those ferocious strokes changed the destiny completely.
Conclusion
A Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings thriller-that’s what the fans wanted, and Sunrisers Hyderabad delivered just that in terms of massive scoring, high-tension pressure moments, gutsy strokeplay and a nail-biting finish to round it all off.
Hyderabad were too composed in crucial moments and played smart under pressure whereas Punjab Kings seemed to be coasting through for a large part of the evening, only to lose composure at the final hurdle. These matches, especially with playoffs approaching, reconfirm that IPL remains the greatest T20 league in the world. Don’t miss more highlights, analysis, news and special coverage of cricket by following PlayKaroNews.
