In the 42nd game of IPL 2018, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clinched a comfortable 9-wicket victory (7 balls to spare) against the hosts Delhi Daredevils (DD) at Feroz Shah Kotla (Delhi) on Thursday night. While DD put a good total of 187/5 in 20 overs, SRH easily chased down the target in 18.5 overs after losing only one wicket.
DD skipper Shreyas Iyer decided to bat first after winning the toss. However, they had poor start as the top-order batsmen fell early. Openers Prithvi Shaw and Jason Roy departed on 9 and 11 runs respectively while no.3 in-form skipper batsman Shreyas Iyer only managed to score 3 runs.
No.4 wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant took the whole responsibility to construct that innings. While next batsmen just helped to grow up the partnerships, the 20-year-old left batsman totally dominated over the visiting bowlers as he scored a superb century. Pant scored an unbeaten 128 runs off just 63 balls with 15 fours and 7 sixes. While he completed the half-century in 36 balls, he took only 20 balls to score the next 50 runs.
The second highest run scorer in that innings was Harshal Patel with just 24 runs knock while Pant had two consecutive 50+ partnerships with Harshal Patel (55 runs partnership for the fourth wicket) and Glenn Maxwell (63 runs partnership for the fifth wicket). However, Pant scored high percentage runs in both important partnerships.
Ultimately Pant’s knock helped Delhi to put 187 runs (187/5) on the board at the end of 20 overs.
Among the SRH bowlers, Shakib Al Hasan (2/27) got two wickets and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/51) claimed one wicket.
In reply, SRH easily chased down that good target. While they lost their opener Alex Hales (14 runs) at the early stage, another opener Shikhar Dhawan and no.3 skipper batsman Kane Williamson secured the victory comfortably. Both remained unbeaten till the end as they put an unbroken 176 runs partnership for the second wicket.
Dhawan was not out on 92 runs off 50 balls (9 fours and 4 sixes) while Williamson played an unbeaten 83 runs knock off 53 balls (8 fours and 2 sixes). Their superb batting performances helped SRH to chase down the 188 runs target in 18.5 overs (191/1) after losing just Hales’ wicket.
Only Harshal Patel got a wicket among the Delhi bowlers.
Here are some Twitter reactions to the match:
Not frenetic, no slogging. What a lovely, composed run-chase this is from #SRH
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 10, 2018
I wanted to check how good #SRH were in a big run-chase. Another big box ticked. Such a calm run-chase. And the form of Shikhar Dhawan will give them joy. Now they only need Manish Pandey to get a big innings behind him.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 10, 2018
Even the best innings of #IPL2018 cannot prevent the best team to register yet another win. Record breaking partnership between #Dhawan & #Williamson helps #SRH to register this emphatic #IPL18https://t.co/HrRETzS1ot#IPL #IPL18 #DDvsSRH #DDvSRH #SRHvsDD #SRHvDD #Cricnation pic.twitter.com/DT2Lkmchih
— Match Dekho (@match_dekho) May 10, 2018
#SRH has the best bowling unit this #IPL and with this chase, they’ve showed that their batting is also peaking at the right time. It’s only fair that the best team has become the first team to qualify. Well done. #DDvSRH #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 10, 2018
Excellent chase from the @SunRisers Delhi really struggled to bowl dot balls and Kane and Shikhar did it effortlessly in the end. After the bowlers rescuing the batsman in the earlier matches, it was good to see the SRH batsman doing well on an off day for the bowlers #DDvSRH
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 10, 2018
SRH – anything you do, we Kane do better #DDvSRH
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) May 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/ThatCricketBuff/status/994639096252321793
Brilliant innings by pant, but in the end cool innings by captian leading by dhawan#RishabhPant #DDvSRH #KaneWilliamson #SRH
— djpranav (@pranav_peddi) May 10, 2018
One handed sixes and hitting even good balls out of the park. This was as good an innings you will ever see in a T-20 match against the best bowling line up in the IPL, absolutely clean striking. Take a bow, Rishabh Pant #DDvSRH
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 10, 2018
Really special innings from Rishabh. Those were not bad balls from Bhuvi in the last over barring the last full toss, but Rishabh Pant is really special and I hope he is nurtured well. #DDvSRH
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 10, 2018
Delhi was waiting for thunderstorm so it come in ferozshah Kotla ground ! Superb display of batting by @RishabPant777 congratulations for first T20 #ipl hundred 👍👏👏👏👏
— Amit bhandari (@Amitbhandari110) May 10, 2018
Can't believe what I just saw! Still remember the 97 he scored against GL last year. Unbelievable hitting from @RishabPant777. Great going my boy. Keep it up. #DDvSRH #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/AK3mpC29Bx
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) May 10, 2018
Special Innings from a special player. Considering the pitch and the opposition, Pant has played the best knock of the season. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious 😊🙏🙌😉 #DDvSRH #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 10, 2018
Bhuvi was 2 Overs 7 Runs. Ends up with 51 in 4. That's Rishabh Pant attack for you !! #DDvSRH
— Prabhu (@Cricprabhu) May 10, 2018
BCCI chose Manish Pandey over Rishab Pant. That's like RCB choosing Sarfaraz over KL Rahul. Blunder. #DDvSRH
— Karan Talwar (@BollywoodGandu) May 10, 2018
Rishabh Pant is the most fearless Indian batsman since Virender Sehwag. #DDvSRH
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 10, 2018
The best bowling attack PANT-Ing for breath. This is a bloody special knock from Rishabh Pant. Been the season of young Indians and this effort is right up there! #VIVOIPL #DDvSRH
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) May 10, 2018
Highest individual scores by Indians in the Twenty20 format:
128* – RISHABH PANT v SRH, Today
127 – Murali Vijay v RR, 2010
126* – Suresh Raina v Bengal, 2018#IPL2018 #DDvSRH— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) May 10, 2018
When you see Bhuvaneshwar Kumar going for 26 runs in an over. #DDvSRH pic.twitter.com/em6rVmUdBO
— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) May 10, 2018
Incredibly special 💯 by Rishabh Pant #IPL2018
— Ajit Agarkar (@imAagarkar) May 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/ikpsgill1/status/994609673549447168
Rishabh Pant to SRH bowlers #DDvSRH pic.twitter.com/vVisNaJ2z3
— Rishabh Srivastava (@AskRishabh) May 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/attitudeson/status/994639022591901697
Maxwell’s situation is a bit like that singer who kept getting ‘Once more’ from the audience till he sang in tune.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) May 10, 2018
