Sunrisers Hyderabad Beat Punjab Kings Despite Shikhar Dhawan 99 Not Out Performance: In a highly anticipated match in the Indian Premier League 2023, Sunrisers Hyderabad took on Punjab Kings in Hyderabad. Sunrisers won the toss and elected to field first, hoping to make early inroads into the Kings’ batting lineup.
The Kings’ opening batsman Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the first ball of the innings, setting the tone for the Sunrisers’ bowlers. Jansen, who replaced Rashid Khan in the playing XI, was also on the money, picking up two wickets in his first two overs.
The Kings were in deep trouble, and it was left to their captain Shikhar Dhawan to bail them out. He showed why he is one of the best T20 batsmen in the world, scoring an unbeaten 99 off 65 balls.
He played a lone hand, as wickets kept falling around him. The Sunrisers bowlers, especially Mayank Markande, made life difficult for the Kings’ batsmen, with Markande taking four wickets for just 15 runs in his four overs.
Dhawan’s innings was a masterclass in T20 batting, as he mixed aggression with caution, hitting sixes and boundaries when required, and playing with a straight bat when the situation demanded it.
His partnership with Mohit Rathee, who was playing his first IPL game, was crucial, as they added 55 runs for the last wicket, taking the Kings to a total of 143 for 9 in their 20 overs.
In reply, the Sunrisers lost their openers early, with Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal dismissed cheaply. The Kings’ bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh and Aiden Markram, were on the money, and it seemed like the Kings had a chance of pulling off an upset.
However, Rahul Tripathi and Markram had other ideas. They batted sensibly, taking calculated risks when required, and rotating the strike well. Tripathi was particularly impressive, scoring an unbeaten 74 off just 50 balls, hitting 8 fours and 2 sixes.
Markram played the perfect foil to Tripathi, scoring 37 off 32 balls, and the duo added an unbeaten 100 runs for the third wicket, taking the Sunrisers to an easy victory with 17 balls to spare.
The Kings’ bowlers, who had done well in the first half of the innings, were unable to pick up wickets in the middle overs, and that proved to be their undoing.
Shikhar Dhawan’s inning against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 14th match of IPL 2023 was nothing short of exceptional. He stood tall amidst the ruins of Punjab Kings’ batting and carried his bat through the innings to score an unbeaten 99.
Dhawan was the only batsman who looked comfortable on the pitch, as all the other Kings’ batsmen struggled to get going against the disciplined bowling of Sunrisers.
Dhawan played with great composure and control, and he found the boundaries with ease whenever the opportunity presented itself. He hit some beautiful shots down the ground, and his pull shots were particularly effective against the Sunrisers seamers. Dhawan also showed his class and experience by using his feet well against the spinners and rotating the strike intelligently.
Despite losing wickets at regular intervals at the other end, Dhawan kept his cool and carried on batting. He showed great determination and character, and he refused to give his wicket away easily.
Dhawan’s innings was even more impressive considering that he had to anchor the innings almost single-handedly, as the other Kings’ batsmen were unable to provide him with any significant support.
Overall, it was a masterclass from Shikhar Dhawan, and he deserved a hundred for his efforts. He fell agonizingly short of the milestone, but he can take great pride in his innings, which was undoubtedly one of the best of the tournament so far.
The Sunrisers’ victory was well-deserved, as they outplayed the Kings in all departments of the game. Their bowlers were on the money from the first ball, and their batsmen batted with maturity, chasing down a challenging total with ease.
Tripathi was named the Man of the Match for his impressive innings, which helped the Sunrisers get their first win of the season. The Kings, on the other hand, will have to regroup quickly, as they have a tough schedule ahead of them in the coming weeks.
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