05/06/26 02:51:00
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05/06 14:02 CDT Hyderabad moves atop IPL with 33-run win over Punjab as
Connolly's century goes in vain
Hyderabad moves atop IPL with 33-run win over Punjab as Connolly's century goes
in vain
HYDERABAD, India (AP) --- Sunrisers Hyderabad recorded their eighth 200-plus
score of the season to beat Punjab Kings by 33 runs and replace them atop the
Indian Premier League on Wednesday.
Cooper Connolly struck his maiden T20 century but the Australian all-rounder's
unbeaten 107 off 59 balls went in vain for Punjab, which finished at 202-7 and
lost their third straight game.
Leading run-getter Heinrich Klaasen (69) and Ishan Kishan (55) had earlier
capitalized on sloppy Punjab fielding and led Hyderabad to 235-4 as both
batters notched aggressive half-centuries after getting early reprieves.
"Punjab are a really good side," Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins said. "No matter
what the score is, bowling second against that side was clinical. We're pretty
good at playing it at our pace, it's just trying to max out."
Punjab had a terrific start to the season when it stayed unbeaten in the first
seven games that included a successful run chase of 265 against Delhi Capitals.
But Hyderabad ensured its record of not losing an IPL game after scoring
220-plus stayed intact as Punjab got derailed inside the first four overs when
they slipped to 23-3 and Connolly, who hit eight sixes and seven fours, got
little support from the other end in a steep chase.
Cummins (2-34) stifled the chase early when he first had Priyansh Arya caught
at deep mid-wicket in the first over and then took smart catches of Prabhsimran
Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer.
After losing top-order batters quickly, Connolly raised his half-century off 34
balls and Marcus Stoinis showed some brief spark with a knock of 28 off 14
balls before spinner Shivang Kumar (2-45) found the thick outside edge of his
bat soon after the power play.
Hyderabad was also sloppy in the field when Connolly got dropped twice after
his half-century before he raised his hundred in the final over and ensured
Punjab played out the full 20 overs by sharing a 68-run seventh wicket stand
with Jansen (19).
Earlier, Hyderabad's aggressive opening pair of Abhishek Sharma (35 off 13
balls) and Travis Head (38 off 19 balls) provided a rollicking start of 54 off
21 balls with Sharma smashing four sixes and two boundaries and Head hitting
three sixes and three boundaries.
Both batters came down hard on left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen (0-61), who
conceded five sixes and four boundaries in his two expensive spells as first
Sharma and Head smashed big hits and then Klaasen clobbered two sixes against
his fellow-South African in the death overs.
Punjab's scratchy fielding allowed Klaasen and Kishan to share an attacking
88-run stand off 48 balls as both batters were dropped before reaching the
double figures.
Kishan got dismissed in the 15th over when he holed out at deep mid-wicket, but
Nitish Kumar Reddy's breezy 29 off 13 balls and Klaasen's clean striking in the
death overs lifted the home team's total.
"It was a bit too much because we dropped catches at the start," Iyer said. "We
got a fairytale start in the tournament, and everyone was in a great space,
(but) if we are going to continue with the same form, that's not going to help
us."
Hyderabad's seventh win in 11 games moved them into first place on 14 points,
one more than Punjab, which got bumped out of the top spot.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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