Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper David Warner and opening partner Shikhar Dhawan both struck half-centuries to defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight wickets at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on Monday.

AB de Villiers was the stand-out performer for RCB with a destructive 28-ball 46, and while 166 appeared to be a competitive total, Warner and Dhawan were all over their opponents from the onset in their chase.

Sunrisers sent RCB into bat after winning the toss, and Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli’s blistering start at the top of the order showed a lot of promise, but Gayle tried one big shot too many as he was the first wicket to fall for 21. Kohli pushed on but in patient style as the run rate dropped. Eventually the captain succumbed to the medium pace of Ravi Bopara, and the Englishman was suddenly on a hat trick with the wicket of Mandeep Singh the very next ball.

De Villiers then took control with some lethal blows, but he started to run out of partners as overseas pair Darren Sammy and Sean Abbott fell cheaply. Kiwi paceman Trent Boult stopped the flow of runs as he accounted for De Villiers in the penultimate over, and they were eventually bowled out for 166 with a ball to spare.

Warner and Dhawan then strode out and put their opponents on the back foot from ball one. They amassed 36 runs in the first two overs, and they were far from done there, keeping the run rate well above 10 an over.

The stadium eventually erupted as the partnership came to an end on 82, Yuzvendra Chahal the man to break the stand as he forced a mistimed sweep out of Warner for 57. RCB were back in with a shout when Kane Williamson departed for just five, but bright prospect Lokesh Rahul ensured there was nothing for Sunrisers to worry about.

He finished off the task with Dhawan, who brought up his fifty with a care-free six, before Rahul finished the job off with 16 balls remaining, for Sunrisers to record their first victory of the tournament.