Warner Smashes 81 As Sunrisers Hyderabad Beat KXIP By 45 Runs

Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad registered an important win against Kings XI Punjab in a key match of Indian Premier League here on Monday. The hosts beat the visitors by 45 runs to maintain the fourth spot in the points table.

Chasing 213 to win, Kings XI could manage 167 in allotted overs losing 8 wickets. Opener Lukesh Rahul scored 79 in 56 balls with 5 sixes, but did not get support from other batsman. Chris Gayle (4) was out in the third over. Mayank Agarwal (27), Nicholas Pooran (21) and David Miller (11) could not play long innings. Leg spinner Rashid Khan claimed 3 wickets for 21.

Earlier, David Warner notched up his eighth half century of the season to end his IPL campaign this season in style, as Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 212/6 in 20 overs. Warner, who is by far the tournament's highest scorer, smashed a typically belligerent 81 off 56 balls, his innings laced with seven fours and two sixes.

Warner, who will leave for Australia to be part of their World Cup camp, was removed by Kings XI skipper R. Ashwin in the 16th over but the damage was already done by then with Manish Pandey (36; 25b; 3x4; 1x6), Wriddhiman Saha (28; 13b; 3x4; 1x6) and Mohammad Nabi (20; 10b; 2x6) contributing to the total.

For the visitors, Ashwin (2/30) was the pick of the bowlers as Mujeeb Ur Rahman, returning to the team, was taken for 66 runs in his four overs, including one in which the Afghanistan spinner leaked 26 runs, the most expensive spell of bowling this IPL.

Since Warner was dismissed, Kings XI reined in a bit with a flurry of wickets but still could not stop Sunrisers from crossing the 200-run mark. Sunrisers could manage just 17 runs in the last two overs, losing three wickets.

It was a dream start for the orange army as they raced to 53/0 in four overs, and then 77/0 after Powerplay, both scores the fastest this season. Warner and Saha shared a 76-run opening wicket stand before the India Test wicketkeeper under edged a delivery by M. Ashwin to Simran Singh behind the stumps.

Pandey and Warner continued the carnage, combining for a 82-run stand for the second wicket. Just when it looked like they would post a score well past 200, R. Ashwin snared two wickets in the 16th over, first removing Pandey and then accounting for Warner.

Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad: 212/6 (David Warner 81, Manish Pandey 36; R Ashwin 2/30, Mohammed Shami 2/36) beat Kings XI Punjab 167/8 in 20 overs (Rahul 79, Agarwal 27, Rashid Khan 3/21, Khaleel Ahmed 3/40). IANS

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