Sunrisers Hyderabad tame Gujarat Lions, storm into IPL 2017 play-offs

Sunrisers Hyderabad rode on Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul to restrict Gujarat Lions to 154 in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 match. Then David Warner and Vijay Shankar scored half-centuries to help their team win and enter the play-offs

Superb bowling by Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan helped defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad make it to the play-offs of the Indian Premier League, registering an eight-wicket win against hosts Gujarat Lions here on Saturday. (GL vs SRH HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD)

Mohammed Siraj (C) picked four wickets for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Gujarat Lions in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 match in Kanpur on Saturday. (PTI)

Bowling a tight line, seamer Siraj and leg-spinner Rashid mesmerised Gujarat Lions batsmen to shoot them out for 154 in 19.2 overs after SRH skipper David Warner chose to field. Siraj bagged four for 32, including consecutive wickets in his last over, while Rashid finished with three for 34. Bhuvneshwar Kumar also had two for 25. (GL vs SRH LIVE STREAMING)

In reply, leading from the front, Warner smashed a well-crafted unbeaten 65 off 51 balls with the help of nine four and two sixes as Sunrisers Hyderabad romped home in 18.1 overs, losing two wickets. Warner also completed his 600 runs in the IPL-10.

Playing only in his third match of the season, Tamil Nadu youngster Vijay Shankar batted well and scored an unbeaten 63, which came off 44 balls with the help of nine fours. His previous best was an unbeaten 15 against Mumbai Indians. Opener Shikhar Dhawan made 18 off 11 balls with four fours.

READ | Vijay Shankar’s maiden half-century guides Sunrisers Hyderabad to IPL play-offs

The win helped Sunrisers Hyderabad extend their win record against Gujarat Lions to 5-0. This was also the third time when Sunrisers Hyderabad won a match in IPL-10 without hitting a six.

Experienced Praveen Kumar raised some hope for the hosts, bagging two wickets in his second over and reducing SRH to two for 25 in three overs, but Warner and Shankar held the innings together till the end.

Earlier, openers Dwayne Smith and Ishan Kishan smashed sparkling half-centuries as Gujarat Lions scored 154 in 19.2 overs. Barring the two, no other Gujarat Lions batsman could stand up to SRH bowlers, especially Siraj and Rashid.

READ | Ishan Kishan fifty boosts Gujarat Lions vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2017 clash

The Lions’ total left many surprised as, after scoring 100-plus runs and that too without losing a wicket in the first 10 overs, they lost all their wickets in just 9.2 overs. A frustrated Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 20.

West Indies’ Smith and Kishan stroked the Sunrisers bowlers like anything on a placid strip, stitching together a 111-run stand for the opening wicket to lay a solid foundation for the side to build upon. But their departure in quick succession left the side struggling for runs, and wickets started falling like ninepins.

Smith struck a 33-ball 54, embellished with seven boundaries and two sixes, before being trapped leg-before by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, while Kishan made 61 off 40 balls with the help of five fours and four sixes. He was caught by wicketkeeper Naman Ojha, also off Siraj, while playing a cross-batted shot.

Number three batsman, skipper Suresh Raina, pulled an easy one for Shikhar Dhawan to latch on to at deep mid-wicket after scoring just two runs, while Dinesh Karthik too offered a simple catch to Deepak Hooda off Siraj on duck.