It was never going to be an easy task to play against Delhi Capitals, at their home, Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. However, Sunrisers Hyderabad managed to just about get the job done with a clinical 5-wicket win. The 2018 edition’s runner-ups, who drubbed RCB to a massive 118-run win, moved in the first spot with a superior points tally of +1.785. Having chose to bowl first, the visiting team correctly utilized their pacers as skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar managed to limit DC to just 129/8.
An ever-in-form Jonny Bairstow then hit a brilliant 48 runs of 28 balls to help SRH get a perfect start to the campaign. Although DC did get wickets at regular interval, SRH somehow crossed the finish line with Mohammed Nabi hitting the winning runs.
TOP OF THE TABLE!!!!!! 🧡
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 4, 2019
How does that feel, #OrangeArmy? 😉
#RiseWithUs #DCvSRH pic.twitter.com/WZiMivcYNt
Match Analysis
- Mohammad Nabi, the early contender for foreign find of the season?
It has been a season of veterans. Although IPL may have turned 12, it has not lost its old-world charm. Yuvraj Singh hitting three consecutive sixes, Kieron Pollard’s incredible catches, Then there was the incredible spinning display from Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir. Chris Gayle too lit up KXIP’s first match against Rajasthan Royals with a match winning knock of 79 runs.
As a result, it feels as though experience is weighing heavier than young talent in the league this season.
IMO Mohd Nabi has won himself another MOM with some intrepid late order batting after bowling quite superbly at the start of Capitals’s innings. Delhi left to rue a couple of dropped catches, but even more, the lack of 15-20 runs because of insensible batting.
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 4, 2019
And it is, thus , not surprising to see Mohammad Nabi star for SRH. Having broken into the squad only in the last match against RCB, he already has had an instant impact on the team’s bowling. The 34-year-old ran through RCB’s top-order very much like a hot knife runs through a butter. The cherry on the cake was the appreciable run-out dismissal of Moeen Ali at the Afghan’s hand. Nabi was also effective, and decisive, against DC, scalping the prized wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant. To round it off, he also took two took catches of Chris Morris and Rahul Tewatia. But things weren’t over for the veteran player then, Nabi scored a blistering 10-runs – a four and a six, to end SRH’s campaign in style.
Going by his initial impact, Mohammad Nabi is sure to include his name among 2019 IPL’s best foreign players.
SIIXX!!!!! Nabi finishes off in style and we've got our first away win of the season! 🙌🙌
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 4, 2019
What a way to end it, @MohammadNabi007! 🧡🧡#OrangeArmy #RiseWithUs #DCvSRH https://t.co/dXntIYUjgh
- How to beat SRH?
That is a difficult question to answer. After all, they are so good in all the departments. Hard-hitting and capable batting.Check. Incredible bowling line-up. Check. Impactful foreign Players. Check. Alert fielding. Check.
Going by the way SRH have played, it is really going to be a big dilemma on how to beat the team this season, They are capable of scoring big totals (reference: SRH vs RCB), and taking wickets at crucial moments (reference SRH vs DC). Considering their all-round display, it will be a truly uphill task for teams to compete against them.
SRH best side in the IPL. In that context, this was a sub-par performance in spite of the win
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 4, 2019
Epic Fan Tweets
Kahin pe nigahein, kahin pe Rabada! 👀
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 4, 2019
Tune in to Star Sports to catch #DCvSRH, LIVE! #GameBanayegaName #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/WNEYoHxXIw
Manish Pandey after he plays 10 balls #DCvSRH pic.twitter.com/bXIcBeXjTG
— 🅱hargav (@ThatIndianGuy) April 4, 2019
Whole Hyderabad to Johnny Bairstow : #DCvSRH #IPL2019 pic.twitter.com/V5Nzo21UI5
— चौधरी सुमित जाट (@chaudharysumitg) April 4, 2019
Expert Opinion
According to me, these four teams have least numbers of concerns..provided they don’t face injuries and are able to field their best XI. @ChennaiIPL @KKRiders @mipaltan @SunRisers
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 29, 2019
It’ll be interesting to see how many of these will make it to the last four. #AakashVani #IPL
Player of the Match
Jonny Bairstow’s 48 off only 28 on an unpredictable pitch really get the team going. He was, thus, a deserving Player of the Match. With 246 runs in the first four matches, the England wicket-keeper is certainly a favourite to win the Orange cap.
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