Aiden Markram top-scored for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in their six-wicket IPL win against the Chennai Super Kings on Friday.
The Proteas T20I captain struck 50 off 36 balls and Heinrich Klaasen 10* off 11 as the Sunrisers overhauled the Super Kings’ below-par total of 165-5 with 11 balls to spare at the packed Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The victory lifted Hyderabad to fifth place in the 10-team competition with two wins from four games. Chennai, led by the charismatic MS Dhoni, suffered their second defeat and are third.
“When we bowled, the first 10 overs or so, it was coming on alright but it got tougher,” said Markram. “So we took it on in the first 10 overs and were in a good position later.”
Chennai skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said his batsmen failed to capitalise in the last five overs and put up a bigger total.
“It was a slow pitch. At the back end they bowled well,” he said. “We were in a good situation halfway but they bowled well at the back.”
Hyderabad made a flying start with opener Abhishek Sharma hammering 27 runs including three sixes and two fours in the second over by Mukesh Choudhary.
But his heroics were cut short by Deepak Chahar who had Sharma caught by Ravindra Jadeja for 37.
Markram then steadied the innings with his well-composed knock before being trapped lbw by England’s Moeen Ali.
Ali then struck again in his next over to remove Shahbaz Ahmed (18), stunning the home crowd into silence.
Klassen and Nitish Kumar Reddy, however, ensured there were no further setbacks and carried the team past the target.
Chennai started slowly after being put in to bat, with openers Rachin Ravindra (12) and Gaikwad (26) cautious in their approach.
Shivam Dube provided a fillip to the innings with a quickfire 45 off 24 balls studded with four sixes and two fours.
He appeared set for a bigger knock but was caught at backward point off Australian fast bowling star Pat Cummins.
Ajinkya Rahane (35) and Ravindra Jadeja (31*) also made useful contributions but Hyderabad bowlers did well to keep the batsmen in check.
A disciplined bowling performance meant CSK could only add 37 runs in the last five overs.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: BCCI
