IPL 10, Match 53, GL v SRH– 5 Game Changing Moments

Gujarat Lions hosted Sunrisers Hyderabad in a do or die game for the visitors. Gujarat Lions were looking forward to ruin Sunrisers’ party as the latter desperately needed a win to ensure themselves a berth in the IPL playoffs. David Warner won the toss and elected to field first and faced the wrath of Ishan Kishan’s and Dwayne Smith’s bat.

However, the IPL saw one of the most incredible collapses as they lost all their 10 wickets within 43 runs and 9 overs. Mohammad Siraj managed to pick up his first man of the match award due to his four-wicket haul. Gujarat Lions sent the visitor an under par target of 155.

Despite early breakthroughs from Praveen Kumar, captain David Warner and Vijay Shankar steadied the Hyderabad ship and finished the match for their side. Sunrisers Hyderabad won the match by 8 wickets and almost two overs to spare to become the second team to qualify for the playoffs. That said let us go through some of the game-changing moments of game.

1. The Ishan-Smith show

Ishan Kishan and Dwayne Smith set the Kanpur crowd with their opening stand and deflated the morales of the Sunrisers early on in the match. Gujarat Lions were all set to post a total of over 210 with the kind of start provided by the duo. They were in involved in a nelson stand in almost 11 overs. Ishan Kishan continued to impress with his knock of 61 off 40 balls as he smashed four sixes and five boundaries at a strike rate of 152.50. Dwayne Smith gave ample support to his young partner as he hit 54 off just 33 balls with seven boundaries and a couple of maximums.

2. The Great Gujarat Lions Collapse

Gujarat Lions were all set to post a mammoth total of over 210 as they were brilliantly positioned at 111 for no loss. But it all went downhill for the Lions after the wicket of Dwayne Smith. Within a span of 43 runs, Gujarat Lions lost all their 10 wickets as they were not able to stay at the crease for their quota of 20 overs. Few batsmen lost their wickets playing rash shots or were at the receiving end of some exceptional bowling. After the fall of wickets of their openers, none of the batsmen could even to manage to post a score of double digits except Ravindra Jadeja.

3. Brilliant Comeback by Siraj and Co.

Mohammad Siraj was responsible for getting the much-needed breakthrough of the Lions openers. He also took the priced wicket of Suresh Raina and James Faulkner. Siraj completed his four-wicket haul after cleaning Sangwan up with a brilliant yorker. Rashid Khan picked up 3 wickets while Bhuvaneshwar Kumar ensured the Lion’s tail did not wag as he picked up a couple of wickets. Thanks to some ordinary batting, Sunrisers restricted Lions to a total of 154.

4. Lions try to upset Sunrisers

Chasing a below par total, Praveen Kumar created some sort of panic in the Sunrisers Hyderabad dressing room as he picked up a couple of wickets in succession. After early strikes, Kumar removed Dhawan and was able to take the wicket of Henriques shortly after. Sunrisers Hyderabad were reduced to 26 for the loss of two wickets.With these quick wickets, Lions were able to stem the flow of runs as Warner and Vijay took their time settle in.

5. Warner, Vijay the Savior

With an early setback and a possibility of getting knocked out of the tournament playing their last match, the pressure was immense of Tamil Nadu skipper Vijay Shankar, when he walked in to bat with David Warner. Together with his captain, Vijay Shankar stitched a match-winning partnership which made them the second team to qualify in the playoffs.

Warner, the orange cap holder, played a typical captain’s knock with his 52-ball 69 while Shankar scored his maiden half-century as he remained unbeaten on 63 off 44 balls. The duo managed to see their Sunrisers Hyderabad with a win to seal a spot in the Playoffs