Match Recap

Sunrisers Hyderabad rode on a record opening partnership in the VIVO IPL between centurions Jonny Bairstow and David Warner to register a massive 118-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, consigning ViratKohli’s side to their third straight defeat of the season.The defeat was RCB’s second heaviest in terms of runs, only behind the 140-run defeat they suffered at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders in the first ever game of the tournament in 2008.

Put into bat, SRH openers Bairstow and Warner put on a show for their raucous home fans, flaying a hapless RCB bowling attack to all parts of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium as they closed their innings on 231-2, their highest total in the VIVO IPL, before all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who replaced the injured Kane Williamson, collected 4-11 as RCB were bowled out for 113 in 19.5 overs.

Both Bairstow and Warner played chance less innings to set up SRH for a monumental total as they raced away to 59 in the Powerplay, before Bairstow began to outscore his Australian opening partner. The duo brought up the team 100 in the 10^th over and 150 in the 14^th and overtook KKR’s Gautam Gambhir and Chris Lynn for the highest opening partnership of 185 before Bairstow perished for 114 from just 56 balls.

RCB got off to the worst possible start to their run chase as they lost their first six wickets inside the first eight overs, and only a 51-run stand between Colin de Grandhomme (37) and debutant Prayas Ray Barman (19) took them closer to the 100-run mark. But some bizarre running between the wickets and smart fielding from SRH ensured RCB didn’t play out their full 20 overs.

SRH’s Afghanistani spinner Nabi, who opened the bowling for SRH, accounted for Parthiv Patel in his first over, before getting Shimron Hetmyer and AB de Villiers in his next to spark a sensational collapse. RCB captain Virat Kohli played a crisp drive straight into the hands of Warner at cover and Moeen Ali was run out after a mix-up as RCB were reduced to 30-6, and shut out of the game rather early.

Standout batting performance

It’s not often that David Warner is outscored in a batting performance, but it needed a sensational maiden VIVO IPL century from Jonny Bairstow to do that. The Englishman had already announced his arrival in his first ever season in the competition, and timed the ball from the outset. The duo put together their third consecutive 100-run partnership in the VIVO IPL, but Bairstow took over the aggressor’s role this time, bringing up his half-century off 28 balls, before teeing off and taking just 24 more balls for his next 50 to bring up a memorable century. By the time he was dismissed, Bairstow had scored 114 from 56 in an innings that contained 12 fours and seven sixes.

Notable Support Act – Batting

David Warner’s return to the VIVO IPL has been a memorable one thus far, and the Australian opener took it one step further to register his third century at SRH’s home turf. The standout feature of Warner’s unbeaten 55-ball 100 was his running between the wickets as he and Bairstow took every opportunity out there to convert ones into twos on a hot afternoon in Hyderabad, and played out few dot balls as a result. Exactly 50 runs out of his 100 came in boundaries, a testimony to the batsman’s superb fitness levels and understanding with his new opening partner.

Standout bowling performance

Mohammad Nabi’s first game in the 2019 VIVO IPL made for a match-winning performance from the Afghanistan spinner, whose bowling figures of 4-11 ensured SRH never allowed RCB a chance. His wickets included those of openers Parthiv Patel and Shimron Hetmyer of consecutive deliveries (last ball of his first over and first of his second), AB de Villiers and accounted for middle-order batsman Shivam Dube to record his best figures in the competition.

Notable Support Act – Bowling

Swing bowler Sandeep Sharma built on the work done by stand-in captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Nabi, and built pressure on RCB captain Virat Kohli to induce him into a shot that was caught neatly by Warner at short cover. He returned in his second spell to break the seventh-wicket partnership by removing debutant Barman, before finishing off the proceedings with the wicket of YuzvendraChahal to finish with figures of 3-19.

Biggest Wins by runs in IPL

Stat of the Match:

SRH's 231-2 is also their highest total in the VIVO IPL.

The partnership of 185 between Jonny Bairstow and David Warner is the highest opening stand in the VIVO IPL.

RCB's Prayas Ray Barman became the youngest player to debut in the VIVO IPL at 16 years and 157 days. The previous youngest player to make his debut was Mujeebur Rahman at 17 years and 11 days for KXIP.

Brief Scores:

SRH: 231-2 (Jonny Bairstow 114, David Warner 100*, Chahal 1-44) beat RCB: 113 all out in 19.5 overs (Colin de Grandhomme 37, Prayas Ray Barman 19, Mohammad Nabi 4-11, Sandeep Sharma 3-19) by 118 runs.

Man of the Match:

Jonny Bairstow, for his 114 from 56 balls.