IPL 2023: Sunrisers Hyderabad make mess of small target, suffer seven-run defeat against DC

What looked like an easy target on a not-so-difficult pitch, Hyderabad batters failed to show any intent as they ended up at 137/6

Hyderabad: Hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad committed a hara-kiri in pursuit of a modest 145-run target as they suffered a seven-run defeat against bottom-placed Delhi Capitals, in a low-scoring contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal on Monday.

What looked like an easy target on a not-so-difficult pitch, Hyderabad batters came a cropper. They failed to show any intent as they ended up at 137/6 in 20 overs.

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Washington Sundar (3/28) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/11 (4-0-11-2) bowled with intent to restrict Capitals to 144/9 but their impressive efforts went in vain. This is Sunrisers’ fifth loss while Capitals recorded their second win of the season to stay alive in the fray.

Hosts were off to a sedate start in the pursuit. Harry Brook continued to struggle to find the rhythm even while Mayank found the occasional boundaries. Anrich Nortje ended Brook’s stay when he rattled the stumps while the batter attempted a scoop as the hosts reached 36/1 in the first six overs. The scoring moved at snail’s pace as managed 58/1 in 10 overs.

Mayank, who made a 39-ball 49 (7×4) perished after being caught at the long on off Axar Patel in the 12th over with 76 needed off 51 balls. Ishant Sharma returned to dismiss Rahul Tripathi (15 off 21) while Kuldeep sent Abhishek Sharma (5) back to the pavilion. Axar then struck a crucial blow cleaning up Aiden Markram (3) in the 15th over to reduce Sunrisers to 89/5 in 15 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen hit the first six for hosts in the 17th over bowled to bring the equation to 38 off three overs. Klaasen hit Mukesh for a couple of boundaries while Sundar hit another to make it a 15-run over. With 23 required off 12 balls, Klaasen was dropped on the first ball off Nortje on 29 by Marsh. But he was out the very next ball at deep cover for a 19-ball 31 (3×4, 1×6). With hosts needing 13 off the final over, Mukesh conceded just five runs.

Earlier, Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided a perfect start dismissing Phil Salt for a duck on the third ball of the first over. Mitchell Marsh hit Marco Jansen for four boundaries and looked promising.

However, he (25 off 15) was dismissed as lbw off T Natarajan after a successful DRS appeal. David Warner struggled to get going as he scored one off nine balls as visitors reached 49/2 in powerplay overs.

Sundar, who went wicketless in the season so far, turned the match on its head taking three wickets in the innings’ eighth over. He dismissed Warner (21 off 21; 2×4, 1×6) and Sarfaraz Khan (10) in similar fashion as both the batters tried to slogsweep but ended up playing into the hands at the backward square-leg.

Aman Khan then hit the next ball for a boundary but top-edged the next one to covers. The triple blow reduced the visitors from 56/2 to 62/5.

Manish Pandey and Axar Patel tried to steady the ship with a 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Axar tried to provide the impetus when he hit Markande for three consecutive fours in the 17th over.

But Bhuvi returned to send the southpaw to the pavilion with a pin-point yorker. Delhi lost Manish Pandey (34 off 27) in the next over trying to steal the second run. In the final over of Bhuvi, Ripal Patel and Anrich Nortje too were dismissed as runouts as they visitors ended with a below-oar score.