Hyderabad: Rahul Tripathi blasted an unbeaten 74 and added 100 runs for the unfinished third-wicket partnership with skipper Aiden Markram (37 not out) as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.
Tripathi smacked his 74 off 48 deliveries and Markram smashed 37 off 21 deliveries as they raised 100 runs for the third wicket off 51 balls as Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 145/2 in 17.1 overs chasing a modest score of 143/9 in 20 overs built on an unbeaten 99 by PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan. The PBKS innings was destroyed by rookie leg spinner Mayank Markahde who claimed his first four-fer with a 4-15.
This was Sunrisers Hyderabad’s first win this season after defeats in their first two matches. PBKS suffered their first defeat after two wins.
Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a modest start as they managed 34/1 in the Power-play. At the same time, Punjab Kings were 41/3.
The fact that they did not lose too many wickets early in their innings, thus making their chase of the modest target of 144 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here, look early.
There was an early stutter when they lost Harry Brook for 13 after he had struck three fours during his 14-ball stay. Mayank Agarwal and Rahul Tripathi took the score to 47 before Agarwal, who has moved PBKS to SRH this season, was out after a 20-ball 21, hitting three fours.
However, Rahul Tripathi and skipper Aiden Markram batted sensibly on a pitch that was offering swing and seam and was also helping the spinners.
Tripathi was the star for the team as he slogged Rahul Chahar flat over wide midwicket just over Sam Curran for a six and then struck the spinner for fours off successive balls in the 9th over. Harpreet Brar was smacked for three fours in the 10th over as Tripathi hammered fours off successive deliveries, the second one a beauty to execute which he came down the track and lofted inside out over extra cover.
He smashed two sixes off Mohit Rathee and followed up the second one with a reverse-sweep four over point and another four in the next ball, driving square behind point and beating the sweeper to the rope.
He got good support from his skipper Aiden Markram as they added 100 runs for the unfinished third-wicket partnership off 51 deliveries.
Initially, the South African batter played second fiddle to Tripathi before slicing Nathan Ellist behind point for a four. He hammered Ellis for four successive fours in the 17th over as Sunrisers romped to victory.
Brief scores:
Punjab Kings 143/9 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 99 not out, Sam Curran 22; Mayank Markande 4-15, Marco Jansen 2-16, Umran Malik 2-32) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad 145/2 in 17.1 overs (Rahul Tripathi 74 not out, Aiden Markram 37 not out; Arshdeep Singh 1-20) by 8 wickets
–IANS