"SRH bottled!"- Fans react as Warner's men collapse against RCB
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have made the perfect start to their IPL 2021 campaign by winning their first two games. For the second time in two nights, the team that seemed to be comfortably coasting to victory made a complete meal of the chase, and this time that team was Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Glenn Maxwell's well-made 59 helped RCB post a fighting total of 149-8 in their 20 overs. Although it seemed to be slightly below par, the Chennai track was bound to slow down and batting was going to get difficult.
SRH needed a good start and although they lost Wriddhiman Saha early, David Warner and Manish Pandey formed a strong partnership to consolidate the chase. When it looked certain that SRH were going to get home comfortably, a flurry of wickets turned the game in RCB's favour.
Twitter reacts to SRH choking against RCB
RCB fans were thrilled by the way Virat Kohli's men fought till the end and won the game by six runs. SRH fans, on the other hand, were disappointed by the way their team just threw away a comfortable run-chase. Here is how the Twitterati reacted:
At 96-1 with Warner and Pandey looking comfortable, RCB were falling short of ideas to break the partnership and make inroads. That was when the SRH skipper played a rash shot off Kyle Jamieson's bowling and was caught by Daniel Christian at long on.
Still, with the experienced Jonny Bairstow and a well-set Pandey at the crease, SRH were favorites to win the game. However, left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed turned the game on its head, picking up three wickets in the 17th over.
Suddenly, the required run-rate crossed 10 runs per over and there was panic in the SRH camp. Although Rashid Khan tried his best to take SRH home, the pressure of the chase got to them and RCB emerged victorious.
The win has taken Kohli's men to the top of the table, while Warner and his Orange Army have a lot to think about.