David Warner’s 59-ball 126 almost single-handedly shellacked Kolkata Knight Riders into submission in the Vivo Indian Premier League cricket match at the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium on Sunday. Spurred by their skipper’s stellar knock Sunrisers Hyderabad set a steep 209 and choked the chase by the tourist to 161 for seven, 48 short of target, even amidst a 46-minute hiatus on account of rain.
The Paddington, New South Wales native pillaged the opposition’s bowling armoury with his third century in the championship, his first for Sunrisers (the side’s first too) and the fastest, eclipsing his earlier endeavour for Delhi Daredevils, incidentally against his present team at this very ground.
The host retained its unbeaten record at home, even subduing the table toppers this time. Strengthening the Sunrisers cause was its best ever partnership--139 for any wicket--between Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, bypassing their own landmark of 137 against the Gujarat Lions at Rajkot last year.
It was mayhem in the middle after the Sunrisers were invited to bat. Umesh Yadav, the only bowler to have dismissed Warner thrice in the competition, was despatched over the long off ropes soon enough. The marauding Aussie showed no mercy to any of the other bowlers who followed.
The Sunrisers’ skipper hoisted Chris Woakes over the long leg hoardings right after swatting him through square. The Englishman came in for some rough treatment from Dhawan too who hoisted him over the mid-wicket signboards.
Warner continued the carnage, no bowler, spinner or seamer, spared the cold-blooded destruction he was determined to unleash, helping himself to a six off each of the six-stringed attack. If Yusuf Pathan’s tweaking was intended to stop him in his tracks, that didn’t work either. Kuldeep Yadav also failed to make any impression.
With the orange cap snugly sitting over his close-cropped hair, Sunrisers’ combative captain went the way he had played all along, hitting out to the very end. Attempting another maximum off Woakes, Warner’s skier was gratefully accepted by his counterpart Gautam Gambhir in the covers.
Kane Williamson’s 25-ball 40 could not quite match his partner’s in intensity but proved most useful in seeing his side register its highest ever tally. Like Dhawan before him, felled by Yadav’s direct hit, the New Zealander was run out, trying to steal a single off the very last ball.
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