IPL 2018, SRH vs DD: 5 talking points
Sunrisers Hyderabad proved that their match-winning credentials are second to none with a comfortable 9-wicket victory over a Delhi Daredevils side who would have been dreaming of a win after scoring 187 runs at the halfway stage.
Rishabh Pant's unbeaten 63-ball 128 was the backbone of the Delhi innings but a superb 176-run unbeaten second-wicket partnership between Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson helped SRH chase down the target with seven balls to spare.
With their highest successful run-chase in IPL history, the hosts confirmed their spot in the playoffs while the season is all but over for Delhi.
Here are the 5 major talking points from tonight's match.
#5 Ricky Ponting's masterstroke
Ricky Ponting's debut season at the helm of Delhi Daredevils has been a tough experience for the Australian legend but his move to promote Harshal Patel up the order just proved why he is considered one of the greatest captains in the history of the game.
With his side struggling at 43/3 and his skipper making his way back to the pavilion after a mix-up with Rishabh Pant, Ponting made the bold call to send Patel ahead of the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Vijay Shankar and the move turned out to be a masterstroke as the 27-year-old changed the course of the match with his cameo of 24 off 17 balls.
With three wickets down already, Pant knew that he just couldn't afford to take on the bowling and it was wonderful to watch Patel take on the responsibility of getting the run-rate moving.
He was looking good with the bat and hit two sixes on his way to a 17-ball 24 before his time in the middle ended after a mix-up with Pant.