Game by game, it is becoming a familiar story for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. One familiar batsman in Kane Williamson does enough to get them to a total, and then it is the bowlers, who get on the field and defend no matter what the score is. The headline story is SRH maintain 100% record in defending totals. How about that for the fans of the Orange Army? The team is racing away in the Indian Premier League 2018 and this time they overcame Royal Challengers Bangalore at home.
The Sunrisers posted 146 riding on captain Williamson’s 56 runs, who once again stood out for the side. Later on, it was the all-too-familiar story of the bowlers coming to the fore and strangling the opposition. Virat Kohli’s RCB could only get to 141-6 in 20 overs to lose a match they would be gutted. Well isn’t it a familiar story for many teams that have faced SRH this year?
What bodes well for SRH is consistency as they notched their fifth successive victory on the trot. 16 points from 10 matches, the side stays at the top of the IPL table two points above 2nd placed Chennai Super Kings.
Kane Williamson reaches new heights
He is definitely doing something magical for SRH and has stepped in David Warner’s shoes magnificently. Words are short to describe a player of his quality. He once again defined the art of batting and proved once again that one does not need to hit 100m sixes in order to be successful in this format.
The fifth fifty of IPL 2018 helped Kane to reach 410 runs in this season as he lies only second to Orange Cap holder Ambati Rayudu. On a difficult pitch, the 27-year old Kiwi showed he had the game and the temperament to adapt to the demands of the situation. Williamson batted at a run-a-ball pace until he had reached 31. From there on he shifted gears and got the much-needed boundaries in a manner he knows best.
The interim SRH captain made a fine 56 of just 39 balls decorated with five fours and two sixes.
Shakib grows in SRH colours
If one season would have defined the Bangaldeshi’s IPL career, it has to be this. Shakib has raised the bar and is making a solid contribution time and time again. The southpaw not only chipped in with the bat but also produced solidity with two crucial RCB wickets. And what matters is that he got the prized scalp of Virat Kohli (39).
The star all-rounder added 62 runs with Williamson, who was the other lone contributor with a gritty 32 runs. Remember the game against Kolkata Knight Riders? It was the same very duo coming together and putting in a show. His two wickets on the day helped him reach a total of 10. No wonder the senior player is regarded as one of the best all-rounders of the game. The former KKR man has grown into the SRH colors and is defining his prowess with a grand show.
SRH bowlers the best unit IPL has ever seen
It has definitely got to be the best bowling unit the IPL has ever witnessed. This is the power of the SRH bowling unit. Precise, strong, intelligent and variety. Earlier, the team had defended totals of 118, 132 and 151, and hence there was a wave of expectation that 146 could be in their radar too.
Although one might feel that the performance wasn’t their best with the ball, yet when it came to the pivotal moments, the bowlers stood out and provided the necessary breakthroughs. It wasn’t a show by a particular bowler as everyone played their part and came out through chipping in with the goods. What was impressive was the impact of Siddarth Kaul. He bowled a fine 19th over, conceding only seven singles, leaving 12 to defend in the final over.
Senior pro, Bhuvneshwar Kumar then conceded only six in the final over to ensure a fine victory for the Sunrisers. He finished with figures of 1-27. When the last two overs go for a paltry 13 runs, it shows how accurate your bowlers have been.
RCB once gain rally around Virat
Similar show by the RCB batsmen from the one they had against CSK in the previous game. Only that Virat Kohli scored 39 runs and none of the others could come out strong and get them past the line. Besides Colin de Grandhomme, nobody took the charge and helped the side. Wickets at pivotal points hurt their cause as the final two overs choked them.
When you look at RCB, these moments have consistently hurt them. First, it was the bowlers who failed to do justice in earlier games, and now when they have come good, the batsmen all of a sudden have disappeared. Credit to Tim Southee though for once again running in with steam and bowling his heart out. His 3/30 and Mohammed Siraj’s 3/25 had rocked SRH before.