IPL 2020, SRH v DC: Who won yesterday's match?
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH ) gave their skipper David Warner a perfect gift to celebrate his 34th birthday as they inflicted a crushing 88-run loss over the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 47th match of IPL 2020 at Dubai.
Wriddhiman Saha and Warner's half-centuries were the standout performances with the bat for SRH, while Rashid Khan's mixed bag of tricks made all the impact with the ball for the Sunrisers.
Set a stiff target of 220 to get from 20 overs, DC never really got going in the chase. Dhawan was removed off the third ball of the first over by Sandeep Sharma for a duck, and Marcus Stoinis promotion to No.3 lasted just six balls.
And just as Shimron Hetmyer and Ajinkya Rahane looked to steady the chase, the duo walked back to the hut in the space of four balls, both of them removed by Rashid Khan in his very first over.
DC still had some hope with skipper Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant at the crease, but once the former was dismissed for a 12-ball 7, there was a little too much for the Capitals to do.
In the end, Rashid's magical figures (4-0-7-3) was one of the biggest highlights from the second innings as the Sunrisers celebrated a massive victory that took them to 10 points from 12 matches.
Saha, Warner steal the headlines with the bat
Put into bat first by DC skipper Iyer, SRH got off to a blistering start with Warner and Saha scoring 77 runs at the end of the first six overs. Jonny Bairstow's absence at the top to accommodate Kane Williamson in the playing XI provided a chance for Saha to open the batting, and the wicketkeeper-batsman grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
It was SRH skipper Warner, though, who donned the aggressor's role early on as he raced away to a 25-ball 50 within the powerplay overs. However, the southpaw was foxed by a loopy delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin and perished for a 34-ball 66 in the 10th over, and from then on, Saha took over.
The stylish right-hander brought up his half-century off 27 balls in the 11th over and continued to go on the offence, smashing 37 runs off the next 18 balls he faced before he skied a delivery to Iyer and walked back after a dominating 45-ball 87.
With five overs left to play, SRH were firmly in the driver's seat at 175/2, and a couple of handy boundaries from Manish Pandey (31-ball 44*) and Kane Williamson (10-ball 11*) eventually helped the Sunrisers to a more than competitive 219/2.
Such was SRH's carnage on the day that IPL 2020 Purple Cap holder Kagiso Rabada leaked 54 runs from his four overs and went wicketless for the first time in 25 IPL matches.
IPL 2020: SRH v DC, Who won man of the match yesterday?
Wriddhiman Saha was drafted into the side for today's game as one among the three changes made to the playing XI, and in what was only in second game in IPL 2020, he was absolutely decimating at the top of the order.
With Jonny Bairstow warming the benches to make way for Kane Williamson, the onus was on Saha and David Warner to get the side off to a great start, and the wicketkeeper-batsman put on quite a show.
Saha belted a 45-ball 87 laced with 12 fours and two sixes, and on the back of his half-century, SRH put on a big total of 219/2. And for his terrific half-century, Wriddhiman Saha was named as the Man of the Match in yesterday's IPL match.