IPL 9, Match 27: SRH v RCB - 5 Talking Points

David Warner slammed a whirlwind 92 as the Sunrisers Hyderabad cruised to an impressive 15-run win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore. While the SRH batting unit had contributions from various sources, it was KL Rahul, ironically a former SRH player to get the Challengers close to a win with a valiant half-century. All in all, it was a substandard performance from RCB as they were well and truly outplayed by the Sunrisers.

1. David Warner’s carnage:

David Warner has made it a habit to give his team a head start and in this match as well he led the Sunrisers from the front. The skipper has accounted for over 30% of the total runs scored by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in this season thus far. On the night against the Royal Challengers, it was certainly no different. In a quest for victory and reclaim his Orange Cap from Virat Kohli, Warner was on the prowl as the RCB bowling attack seemingly had no answer to his onslaught. He slammed a quickfire 92, an innings that not only won him the Orange Cap back but also virtually sealed the match for the SRH early on in the match.

2. Kane Williamson slams useful half century:

There were a lot of question marks regarding the injury and form of New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson. The 27-year old, playing his first match in the ninth edition of the IPL. Once he settled in and got into his zone, he grew into the game, he put on the persona of the Williamson we all know and love. He was irresistible and an absolute pleasure to watch. His shots were flowing and the ball raced to the fence. Needless to say, he slammed a wonderful 50 from 38 deliveries.

3. Moises Henriques adds finishing touches:

Moises Henriques has been a disappointment with the bat. While he has impressed one and all with his prowess in the field, the 29-year old Aussie has seemingly found it difficult to perform on the slow and sluggish Indian pitches. However, in what was somewhat of a first for the Sunrisers, Henriques teed off with a stern authority. He launched three sixes into the stands as he smashed a whirlwind 31 runs of 14 deliveries. His innings ensured that the SRH reached a mammoth total of 194 in their 20 overs.

4. Kohli falls, KL Rahul impresses:

In what turned out to be a rather surprising move, Chris Gayle was left out of the starting XI, Challengers also handed a debut to Sachin Baby swapping him with Sarfaraz Khan. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli made their ways out to the middle to battle the Sunrisers bowling attack that had seemingly found some form in the past few weeks in the IPL. The RCB fans went into silence once Virat Kohli was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman. Rahul however, impressed one and all with his antics with the bat. The Karnataka batsman struck the ball with class and elegance only he is capable of. He went on to smash a valiant half century in quick time before being dismissed for trying to play the run down to third man a bit too often.

5. Rare RCB batting failure:

The RCB batting unit has been somewhat of a well-oiled machine for almost all the seasons of the IPL. However, against the Sunrisers, the RCB batting juggernaut failed to click. The likes of Virat Kohli and Shane Watson simply failed to get going despite the decent batting conditions at Hyderabad. Despite a decent 47, South African AB de Villiers too failed to find his nick, playing a higher percentage of dot balls as per usual. KL Rahul and perhaps even Sachin Baby to some extent made hay with the bat for some part as the mammoth total seemed to be a bridge too far for the Challengers. Kedar Jadhav too chipped in with a decent innings towards the end of the innings, giving the Royal Challengers hope but at the end of it they fell short by 15 runs.

How did Twitter react to the match? – Twitter Reactions: Sunrisers Hyderabad bat RCB out of the game