Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals, in Abu Dhabi.
Sunrisers Hyderabad registered their first victory in the IPL this season, beating Delhi Capitals by 15 runs, in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
The hero of the victory was Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, who bagged the key wickets of Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Rishab Pant, conceding 14 runs, as Delhi Capitals were handed their first defeat after two victories.
Chasing 163 for victory, Delhi Capitals could only muster 147 for seven. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bagged two wickets for 25 runs while T Natarajan (1-25) and Khaleel Ahmed (1-43) also chipped in for a well-deserved victory.
Earlier, Kane Williamson, playing his first game of the season, scored useful runs in the final overs for 41 off 26 balls to give the team a fighting total.
Openers David Warner and Jonny Bairstow also chipped in with brisk knocks of 45 and 53 respectively.
Asked to bat first, the SunRisers made a sedate start, with skipper Waner and Bairstow putting up 77 runs for the first wicket, despite the pace trio of Ishant Sharma (0-26 off three overs), Kagiso Rabada (2-21 off 4) and Anrich Nortje (0-40 off 4) maintaining good line and length.
The tight bowling meant that the Sunrisers could only score 38 in the Powerplay, which yielded just two fours and a six, all by Warner.
Bairstow picked his first boundary in the seventh over, launching a slog-sweep for a six off leg-spinner Amit Mishra (2-35).
Warner and Bairstow pair tried to make up for the lack of boundaries on the slow track with excellent running between the wickets to keep the scoreboard ticking. The Australian sent one straight over Ishant's head for his second six and then picked a four off Mishra with a reverse sweep.
However, the former India spinner had the last laugh as he had him caught behind by Rishab Pant after a referral to the third umpire. Warner scored 45 off 33 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes.
The SunRisers were 82 for 1 after 10 overs.
Mishra (2-35 off 4 overs) returned to dismiss Manish Pandey (3) before SunRisers crossed the 100-mark in the 14th over.
Playing his first match this season after recovering from an injury, Williamson smashed two fours in the 16th over to take the SunRisers to 128 for two.
Bairstow then posted his 50 off 44 balls before holding out to Anrich Nortje in the 18th over with the score 144 for 3.
With the overs running out, Williamson went all out for runs and was dismissed in the last over, caught by Azar Patel off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada. He finished with 41 off 26 balls, which included 5 fours.
Delhi were always lagging in the chase after losing opener Prithvi Shaw (2) early. Shikhar Dhawan (34 off 31) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (17) took them to 34 for one after the first six overs.
However, Rashid got into the act straightaway, dismissing Iyer with his second delivery and then returned to remove Dhawan with a wrong 'un in the 12th over as Delhi were reduced to 63 for three.
Pant smashed two sixes on both sides of the wicket in the 13th over to ease the pressure and Shimron Hetmyer (21) also joined the party, launching Khaleel Ahmed for successive sixes in the 15th over.
But Bhuvneshwar came back to dismiss Hetmyer, before Pant became Rashid’s third victim.
Needing 59 runs from 30 balls, all eyes were on Marcus Stoinis (11) but he was done in by a well-pitched yorker from Natarajan. The Australian’s exit ended whatever hopes Delhi may have entertained of making it three straight victories.
