New Delhi [India], April 20 : An explosive century partnership between openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma continued Sunrisers Hyderabad's scorching run of form with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, as they posted 266/7 in 20 overs against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
DC bowlers were smashed all over the park on their return to home arena in Delhi. However, spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel did a fine job putting brakes on run flow and did not allow the team to score as explosively in the second half.
After being put to bat first by DC who won the toss, SRH openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma continued from where they left off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the previous match.
In a statement of intent, Head and Abhishek smashed Khaleel Ahmed for 19 runs, including three fours and a six, with Head being the key aggressor.
Lalit Yadav's second over was even more brutal as Head pumelled him for two successive sixes over deep mid-wicket, a four through covers and Abhishek played a lofted drive over extra cover to collect 21 runs from the over.
Head saved the most brutality for pacer Anrich Nortje, smashing him for four boundaries and finally a six over deep midwicket. SRH had reached the 50-run mark in just 2.4 overs. With the six on the last ball, Travis reached his second half-century of the tournament in just 16 balls, with seven fours and four sixes.
SRH kept belting the DC bowlers around at a run-rate of over 20, with Head and Abhishek smashing Lalit for three sixes, for a total of 21 runs in the fifth over. Kuldeep Yadav's next over, went for 20 runs, thanks to three bludgeoned sixes from Abhishek over long-on and deep midwicket.
At the end of five overs, SRH was 103/0, with Abhishek (40*) and Travis (62*) unbeaten. The final over of the powerplay was bowled by Mukesh Kumar. There was no stopping the flow of runs as Travis smoked him for four boundaries and a six. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, SRH was 125/0, with Travis unbeaten at 84 in 26 balls and Abhishek at 40 runs in just 10 balls.
Kuldeep's second over gave DC a bit of breather. First, he removed Abhishek for a 12-ball 46, with two fours and six sixes and later removed Aiden Markram for just one run with another catch from Axar at extra cover. SRH was 133/2 in seven overs.
Heinrich Klaasen was next up on the crease. spinners took control of the game and restricted the flow of runs a bit. Though Klaasen launched Kuldeep for two sixes in the ninth over, Kuldeep got DC the big wicket of Head, for 89 in 32 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes. Tristan Stubbs took a fine running catch. SRH was 154/3 in nine overs.
At the start of next over, Klaasen's stumps were shattered by Axar for 15 runs in eight balls. With SRH at 154/4 in 9.1 overs, DC had successfully applied some brakes.
Halfway through the innings, SRH was 158/4, with Shahbaz Ahmed (1*) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (3*) unbeaten.
During the next few overs, Nitish and Shahbaz played a bit conservatively by SRH's recent standards, but it was at least a boundary per over. They reached the 200-run mark in 14.5 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, SRH was 205/4, with Shahbaz (24*) and Nitish Kumar (26*) unbeaten.
Shahbaz-Nitish's partnership was cut short at 67 runs in the 17th over by Kuldeep Yadav, who got Nitish caught by David Warner at long-on for 37 in 27 balls, with two fours and two fours. SRH was 221/5 in the 17th over. DC had managed to make a fantastic comeback in the middle overs, putting some control over the climbing run-rate.
In the 19th over, SRH batters Shahbaz and Abdul Samad smoked Khaleel for three sixes, including two by Shahbaz. SRH reached the 250-run mark in 19 overs.
Abdul's small cameo of 13 in eight balls, with a four and six was ended by Mukesh Kumar with a catch from Nortje at covers. SRH was 250/6 in 19.1 overs.
Pat Cummins, the skipper, was next up on the crease and was run out for just one run by Stubbs and Mukesh. SRH was 256/7 in 19.4 overs.
Shahbaz reached his half-century in 28 balls, with two fours and four sixes.
SRH ended their innings on a high with 266/7 on the board, with Shahbaz (59* in 29 balls, with two fours and five sixes) and Washington Sundar (0*) unbeaten.
Kuldeep Yadav (4/55) was the top bowler for DC. Mukesh and Axar also got a wicket.