IPL 2021: Six defeats and just one win, how SRH fared in first half of season – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

If there’s one Indian Premier League (IPL) team which would not have bothered much with the suspension of the 2021 edition in May this year, it must have been Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

They were on a three-game losing streak when the league was suspended due to a COVID-19 outbreak in its bio-bubble. In total, they had lost six out of seven matches and are currently last in the eight-team table for IPL 2021. Apart from poor results on the pitch, the team also had to deal with management issues off it as David Warner was made to make way for Kane Williamson as the team captain.

They restart their campaign against Delhi Capitals on 22 September, but before that let’s take a look at how they fared in the first seven games of the season.

Match 1, SRH vs KKR, 11 April – Lost

Nitish Rana (80) and Rahul Tripathi (53) made handsome fifties as Kolkata Knight Riders scored 187/6 in Chennai batting first in what was the first match of the season for both sides.

In reply, SRH got off to a horror start with both openers David Warner and Wriddhiman Sha falling inside the first three overs. Manish Pandey (61) and Jonny Bairstow (55) put up 92 runs for the third wicket to stabilise SRH’s innings but KKR hit back with quick wickets.

Abdul Samad made a quickfire 19 0ff eight at the end but SRH were unable to cross the finish line as they lost the match by 10 runs.

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Match 2, SRH vs RCB, 14 April – Lost

Once again SRH batted second. RCB put up 149/8 with captain Virat Kohli (33) and Glen Maxwell (59) being the batting stars. Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers for SRH as he took 4/30 from four overs.

SRH made a strong start with Warner smashing 54 off 37 and at one stage they were 96/1 inside 14 overs, looking set for a victory. But once again quick wickets cut the runs flow as the lower-order struggled to put up a fight, resulting in a six-run defeat for SRH.

RCB’s Shahbaz Ahmed turned the match on its head with figures of 3/7 from two overs.

Match 3, SRH vs MI, 17 April – Lost

For the third time in a row, SRH failed to chase a total and succumbed to their third straight defeat in IPL 2021.

Quinton de Kock (40), Rohit Sharma (32) and Kieron Pollard (35) made useful contributions from the bat as Mumbai Indians struggled to 150/5 on a slow Chennai track. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Vijay Shankar got two wickets each for SRH.

In reply, Hyderabad got off to a flyer with Warner (36) and Bairstow (43) scoring quick runs. But then came the collapse. SRH were 90/2 inside 12 overs and had to score 60 more for a win but a dramatic collapse led by Trent Boult’s 3/28 and Rahul Chahar’s 3/19 resulted in a 13-run win for MI.

Match 4, SRH vs PBKS, 21 April – Won

Finally a win for SRH! Hyderabad were bowling first again but this time Punjab Kings were shot out for 120 with Khaleel Ahmed taking 3/21 and Abhishek Sharma 2/24. Mayank Agarwal and Shahrukh Khan were top-scorers for PBKS as they both made 22 each.

SRH completed the chase inside 19 overs with Bairstow smashing 63 not out off 56. David Warner was the only wicket to fall as he departed after scoring 37 off 27.

Match 5, SRH vs DC, 25 April – Lost

This was a humdinger and Delhi Capitals won it in the Super Over. Prithvi Shaw (53) and Rishabh Pant (37) helped DC make 159/4 after batting first. Siddarth Kaul took 2/31 from four overs for SRH.

In reply, Warner fell early but Bairstow (38) and Williamson (66 not out) gave strength to Hyderabad’s batting. However, a complete failure of the middle and lower order left the team in a spot of bother. Williamson desperately needed some support and it came from Jagadeesha Suchith making 14 not out off 6 from No 9 spot as Kagiso Rabada failed to defend 16 runs in the last over and SRH managed to take the game into the Super Over.

Axar Patel bowled the Super Over for DC and SRH set them a target of 8 which was chased down by Shikhar Dhawan and Pant off Rashid Khan’s over for a DC win.

Match 6, SRH vs CSK, 28 April – Lost

The action now shifted to Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi for SRH and for the first time in IPL 2021, they were batting first. Warner scored 57 off 55, Pandey made 61 off 46 as Hyderabad ended up with 171/3. SRH needed to target 190 at least after a good start but they weren’t brisk enough with their scoring rate and it proved to be an easy task for Chennai Super Kings as they chased down the target inside 19 overs with seven wickets in hand.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (75 not out) and Faf du Plessis (56) gave CSK a solid and quick start from which SRH never recovered. Rashid took 3/36 to delay the final result a bit but it was never going to be enough as SRH suffered their fifth defeat of the season.

Match 7, SRH vs RR, 02 May – Lost

This was the last match for SRH before the IPL 2021 was suspended. On a batting-friendly track at Kotla, Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler made merry with an incredible knock of 124 from 64. Skipper Sanju Samson smashed 48 off 33 as RR scored 220/3.

A target of 221 was always going to be a bit too much for SRH whose batsman lacked confidence and form. Pandey top-scored with 31 as SRH could only manage 165/8, losing the match by 55 runs. Chris Morris and Mustafizur Rahman had taken three wickets each for RR.

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