The best, most interesting sportsmen have an uncanny ability to impose themselves on a game and David Warner did precisely that in Mohali, inspiring Sunrisers Hyderabad to an unlikely 20-run win over Kings XI Punjab.
First, he scored 58 from 41 balls, and then, in the field, extracted the maximum from his bowlers, his clever management of their spells – and exceptional fielding – helping defend a below-par total of 150 for six.
Punjab’s George Bailey won the toss and bowled – Hyderabad planned to do likewise – in order to benefit from a green top. But, after a maiden opening over, Warner assumed control, smashing, gliding and flicking 45 of his team’s first 46 runs and finishing with 10 fours and one six.
However, throughout the competition Sunrisers’ management have struggled with the composition of their middle-order, a difficulty that seems to have transmitted to the players.
Barely able to assert, let alone dominate, Moises Henriques and Naman Ojha could muster just below and just above a run a ball respectively, at the precise time acceleration was expected. They were saved by Ashish Reddy, who clubbed 22 from eight deliveries, at least giving the illusion of competition, while, for their part, Punjab had bowled a full 20 overs without offering a wide or no-ball.
To have any hope of victory, Sunrisers needed early wickets, and in the third over, Trent Boult bowled Manan Vohra. Then, in the fourth, Buvneshwar Kumar removed Shaun Marsh for one, before Murali Vijay and Bailey rebuilt; while they were together, a Punjab victory still seemed certain.
Bailey swiped at Karn Sharma unnecessarily and was caught at mid-off, Vijay departing in the following over, and suddenly, Hyderabad were in the game.
Even so, David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha looked in control, until Miller’s aggression cost him his wicket; a leading-edge spiralled to mid-off, and suddenly, Hyderabad were favourites.
Saha, though, built a partnership of 42 with Axar Patel – before Boult returned, earlier than expected, in the 17th over. With his first ball he bowled Patel, and with his sixth had Saha caught at square-leg; Punjab needed a plausible 28 from from the final 12 deliveries.
They got nowhere near, a succession of well-directed yorkers, first from Bhuvi Kumar and then Praveen Kumar, ceding just eight runs and earning them a wicket each.
Punjab remain bottom of the table, while Hyderabad move above Delhi Daredevils into fifth position.
