IPL 2023 | Super Giants spinners leave Sunrisers in a tangle, make it a walk in the park

Krunal stars in LSG’s 5-wicket win over SRH in IPL 2023 match

Super Giants spinners extracted the maximum from the slow and low pitch to strangulate the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters and restricted them to a modest 121 for eight at the Ekana Cricket stadium here on Friday.

Left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya (three for 18) was the standout performer for Super Giants while Amit Mishra (two for 23) and Ravi Bishnoi (one for 18) played the ideal support cast, the trio conceding just 59 runs in 12 overs.

It was the late flourish from Abdul Samad (21 n.o., 10b, 1x4, 2x6) — he tonked Jaydev Unadkat for two sixes in the final over — that gave the Sunrisers total some respectability.

In reply, K.L. Rahul’s men scored at a brisk pace despite losing their in-form opener Kyle Mayers cheaply. The skipper scored 35 (31b, 4x4) while Krunal justified his promotion to No. 4 with a 23-ball 34 (4x4, 1x6) as the two added 55 for the third wicket.

Though Super Giants lost Rahul and debutant Romario Shepherd off successive deliveries to Adil Rashid, Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran took the team home with four overs to spare.

Earlier, opting to bat, Aiden Markram’s men struggled on a wicket where the ball skidded through and didn’t encourage strokeplay.

Opener Mayank Agarwal was an early victim when he chipped Krunal straight to Marcus Stoinis at extra-cover off a delivery which stopped on him.