Sunrisers Hyderabad set a monumental total in keeping with their big-hitting reputation, took their catches unlike Punjab Kings and used smart variations to usurp the table-toppers who’ve now suffered their third successive defeat of the season. All five of the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters in action scored at a strike rate of over 160, with Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan smoking half-centuries after fortunately being at the receiving end of early lives.
In reply, Cooper Connolly got to a 57-ball century in the final over of the chase but Punjab Kings fell 33 short of the finishing post. With that, Sunrisers Hyderabad have now beaten a Punjab team in nine consecutive Indian Premier League fixtures in Hyderabad since 2014.
Sunrisers Hyderabad head to Ahmedabad for a game against Gujarat Titans on May 12 whereas Punjab Kings will play the first of their three matches on the trot at the picturesque Dharamsala, hosting Delhi Capitals on May 11.
Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 235/4 in 20 overs [Heinrich Klaasen 69 (43), Ishan Kishan 55 (32), Travis Head 38 (19), Abhishek Sharma 35 (13); Yuzvendra Chahal 1-32] beat Punjab Kings 202/7 in 20 overs [Cooper Connolly 107* (59); Pat Cummins 2-34, Eshan Malinga 1-36] by 33 runs.
