IPL-17, SRH vs LSG | Sunrisers openers Head and Abhishek pummel Super Giants into submission

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma make a mockery of the visitors’ attack to run down a target of 166 in a mere 9.4 overs

There was no rain on match day. But to the delight of a capacity crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, it was a deluge of fours and sixes as the left-handed opening pair of Abhishek Sharma (75 n.o., 28b, 8x4, 6x6) and Travis Head (89 n.o., 30b, 8x4, 8x6) made a mockery of the victory target of 166, in a chase lasting just 47 minutes, against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday.

Clearly, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s focus was not just on scripting a quick victory but also keep an eye on the Net Run Rate to steer clear of the jam in the points table. It did it in style with a resounding 10-wicket win in just 9.4 overs thanks to some breathtaking stroke-play which left every bowler clueless.

It was arguably one of the most savage onslaughts by an opening pair at this venue as Abhishek (Impact Player for pacer T. Natarajan) and Head batted as if they were rehearsing some strokes in the ‘nets.’ There was nothing to rave about for any bowler, as all of them were hapless and mute spectators to a brutal batting display.

Earlier, Super Giants’ top-order failed before a fighting 99-run unbroken partnership off 52 balls for the fifth wicket between the classy Nicholas Pooran and the 24-year-old Ayush Badoni saw the team post what looked a competitive score at the innings break.

Pooran and Badoni came up with wonderful stroke selection under pressure, especially in the last five overs when they scored 63 runs.

For the home team, both the left-arm pacer and death overs specialist Natarajan, and skipper Pat Cummins were expensive

The seasoned Bhuvneshwar Kumar was easily the pick of the bowlers, conceding just 12 runs from his quota of four overs while taking the crucial wickets of Quinton de Kock (2) and Marcus Stoinis (3) thanks to some brilliant fielding by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sanvir Singh respectively. It was not a kind of PowerPlay Lucknow would have hoped for after electing to bat — scoring just 27 for two.