IPL 2017, Match 21, SRH vs DD: CT Player of the match – Kane Williamson

Defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad won their 4th match of Vivo IPL 10 as the visitors defeated Kings XI Punjab by 15 runs to go the 2nd spot in the points table. The biggest talking point ahead of the match was the inclusion of Kiwis skipper Kane Williamson who didn’t appear in a single match before this. Given the hard-hitters SRH had in their ranks, the inclusion of Williamson raised a few questions.

Walking out to bat when the visitors had just lost their captain David Warner, Williamson looked in brilliant touch from the outset. He executed some delightful shots to perfection and never looked like playing in his first match of the tournament. He was in line for a maiden IPL century but the sensational batsman across all 3 formats could only master 89 which came in a mere 51 deliveries. The innings also included 6 fours and 5 hits over the fence.

Surprise package Williamson holds the fort

Before this match, Williamson was cited to be one of the players who was in line to warm the benches throughout the season but after this encounter, the scenario won’t remain the same. After this exceptional innings, Williamson has guaranteed his place at least for the next 3 matches. He looked in command from the beginning despite not getting the boundaries on a consistent basis.

He began with a fierce cut of Chris Morris in the 4^th over and looked composed out there in the middle. Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews was greeted to the crease some exceptional display of batsmanship by Williamson as one of the greatest batsmen in world cricket currently smashed him for a couple of big sixes in the 7^th over. While the first one was whipped through the square leg region, the next six came over the long-off region.

Now it was Aussie pacer Pat Cummins at the receiving end of Williamson as the right-hander smashed him for a six behind the square leg region. It didn’t come exactly came from the middle of the bat but it went fine to clear the boundary cushions. He completed a well-deserved half-century in the final delivery of the 12^th over bowled by Amit Mishra and looked set for plenty more.

He then deposited the same bowler for consecutive sixes in the 14^th over to take Sunrisers to a score of 127/1 at the end of 14 overs. It was sublime hitting by the stylish batsman as he smashed the first one over the long on region and followed it up with another maximum over the midwicket region. He kept racing away while Shikhar Dhawan was giving him a good company at the other end.

The Modern Great falls 11 short of a century

Angelo Mathews were picked for a couple of boundaries in the 16^th over. While the first one was driven through the covers, he found the gap on yet another occasion by piercing the gap at the deep mid-wicket region.

Williamson’s innings eventually came to an end at the hands of Chris Morris. The right-arm pacer bowled a low full toss and while attempting a flick, Williamson got a top edge. The deep mid-wicket fielder Shreyas Iyer positioned himself brilliantly and completed a safe catch ending his innings on 89. Courtesy his innings Sunrisers reached a score of 191 after their allotted 20 overs.