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Sunrisers Hyderabad's night was a tale of missed opportunities and deflated spirits.
Dropped catches and a lack of energy in the field proved costly against a determined Kolkata Knight Riders side.
Heinrich Klaasen, usually reliable behind the stumps, had a forgettable evening. Despite his decent showing as a wicket-keeper, a nasty collision with Rahul Tripathi seemed to affect his performance.
A crucial dropped catch off Shreyas Iyer early in his innings proved particularly damaging for SRH.
Later, Travis Head grassed another sitter at backward point, gifting Iyer a crucial lifeline.
However, it wasn't all doom and gloom for fielding.
There were some breathtaking catches taken throughout the match. Take a look:
Rinku Singh
A crucial moment unfolded in the 11th over for KKR, thanks to a sensational catch by Rinku Singh. Varun Chakravarthy bowled a testing length ball that enticed Heinrich Klaasen to go for a big shot. However, the South African batter mistimed his pull, sending the ball sailing towards the deep mid-wicket boundary.
With perfect timing and awareness, Rinku leapt high to his right, judging the ball's path beautifully. He secured the catch just inside the boundary line, ensuring Klaasen's departure for 32 runs. This impressive catch, made under pressure with the deep square leg fielder closing in, proved to be a game-changer for KKR.
Andre Russell
Andre Russell announced his presence with a breathtaking catch in the second over, giving KKR a dream start with the ball.
Abhishek Sharma, known for his explosive batting this season, was left subdued. A slightly slower delivery from Vaibhav Arora deceived Sharma, who attempted a lofted shot over the covers.
But Russell, positioned perfectly, timed his jump to perfection. With a powerful leap, he snatched the ball with both hands, completing a sensational dismissal that sent Sharma packing for a mere 3 runs.
This early wicket put SRH under immediate pressure, silencing the early fireworks they were known for.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Young wicket-keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a crucial role behind the stumps for KKR. Not only did he score a quickfire 14-ball 23 at the top of the order, but he also impressed with his glovework.
In the 5th over, Mitchell Starc unleashed a short ball outside off stump, targeting Nitish Reddy. The batsman miscued a pull shot, sending a thick top-edge flying towards the 'keeper.
Gurbaz, showcasing his awareness and reflexes, called for the catch with confidence and settled comfortably under the ball to complete a clean dismissal. This sharp grab helped Starc pick up a crucial wicket and restrict the SRH scoring rate in the Powerplay.
Vijayakanth Viyaskanth
While the bowlers did the heavy lifting for SRH, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth played a vital role in the field with two crucial catches.
In the 4th over, he provided the breakthrough SRH desperately needed. Gurbaz, known for his aggressive strokeplay, charged down the track, but miscued a shot. The ball spooned off the bottom of the bat and flew straight towards Viyaskanth's chest at cover. The fielder, displaying excellent reflexes, grabbed the ball comfortably.
Viyaskanth wasn't done there. In the 7th over, he was at the heart of another dismissal. Pat Cummins' short-ball strategy paid dividends as Sunil Narine, lacking room for a big shot, pulled the ball straight towards deep mid wicket. Viyaskanth, stationed perfectly, anticipated the direction and pouched the catch comfortably.
Qualifier 1: Who Took The Best Catch?