Dubai, Oct 24 (UNI) Sunrisers Hyderabad produced a clinical bowling performance to restrict Kings XI Punjab to 126/7 in the 43rd match of the IPL 2020, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, here on Saturday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers justified their captain's decision to bowl first after winning toss. They pick wickets at regular intervals too kepp the run rate in check.
Nicholas Pooran Pooran was the top-scorer for KXIP, making an unbeaten 32 off 28 balls.
After being invited to bat first, openers KL Rahul and Mandeep Singh gave KXIP a good start, scoring 47-1 at the end of powerplay. However, during the process Mandeep got out in the last ball of the 5th over after scoring 17 off 14 balls.
Sandeep Sharma (2/29) dismissed Mandeep and became just the sixth Indian pacer to take 100 IPL wickets.
After Mandeep's wicket, Chris Gayle and Rahul struggled to get going. Gayle (20) tried to up the ante but was dismissed by his Jason Holder (2/27) in the last delivery of the 10th over.
Rashid Khan (2/14) then went through the defence of captain Rahul (27), in the first ball off the next over as KXIP slumped to 66 for three.
Glenn Maxwell's (12) struggle with the bat continued as he too departed soon, holed out to Warner at long-on off Sandeep Sharma (2/29) before Deepak Hooda got out to Rashid.
It was left to Pooran to salvage something out of a miserable innings. He anchored the second half of the KXIP innings, but couldn't get going, scoring his first boundary off his 19th ball.
In the end, KXIP somehow managed to score 126/7 in 20 overs.
UNI AVK 2155