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Tue, Dec 24, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 23, 1446 | DXB
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IPL 2023: Self-destructive batting adds to Sunrisers Hyderabad's misery
The former champion lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by five runs
Kolkata Knight Riders players celebrate the dismissal of Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Rahul Tripathi. — PTI
Brian Lara is the Sunrisers Hyderabad coach. But the absolute batting failure of this team in the Indian Premier League this season has probably left the legendary West Indian batting scratching his head.
It was another poor performance from the Sunrisers batsmen on Thursday as the team lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders by five runs.
The Sunrisers' playoff hopes are hanging by a thread after its sixth defeat in nine matches.
And once again it was the team's self-destructive batters that let Sunrisers Hyderabad down to hand a Kolkata Knight Riders a much needed five-run win.
Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh came up with a fruitful 61-run partnership to help KKR post 171 for nine and then their bowlers, especially Shardul Thakur (2/23) and Vaibhav Arora (2/32), helped the two-time IPL champions restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 166 for eight in 20 overs.
Varun Chakaravarthy bowled a brilliant 20th over to eke out a welcome win for his team.
KKR earned its fourth victory of the season and is now on eight points.
The victory was hard-fought for KKR, given that SRH's South African pair of skipper Aiden Markram (41 off 40 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (36 off 20 balls) had at one point in time looked to take the match away with their 70-run partnership.
Markram and Klaasen produced innings of character but their dismissal in quick succession spelt doom for the home side as the later-order batters couldn't get going.
Earlier, Rana and Rinku came together at the crease at a time when KKR was struggling at 49 for three at the end of powerplay, and the team staring at another below-par showing.
But by the time Rana departed in the 12th over, his 31-ball 42 studded with three fours and an equal number of maximums had put the team on course to a fighting total.
While wickets continued to fall at the other end, with West Indians Andre Russell and Sunil Narine hardly making an impact, Rinku (46 off 35 balls) curbed his natural instinct and played patiently to give the side a decent total to defend.
It was another forgettable start for KKR with opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz unable to recreate the magic of the previous game against Gujarat Titans.
The 21-year-old Afghanistan opener fell to a length ball from South African quick Marco Jansen off the first delivery of the second over as he tried flick it over mid-wicket but was a tad late and the top edge flew to Harry Brook at mid-on.
Venkatesh Iyer departed five balls later, becoming Jansen's second victim as the tall pacer sent down the short stuff that the KKR batter uncomfortably tried to hook, only to pop it high up in the air for wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen to take an easy catch.
India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept it tight at the other end, conceding just 12 runs in his first two overs as the home team endured yet another poor start.
While the two pacers were spot on, Kartik Tyagi initially sprayed the ball all over the place after he was pressed into service in the fifth over. After bowling two wides and a no-ball, the Uttar Pradesh cricketer got the big wicket of England opener Jason Roy.
Roy's premeditated cross-bat heave took a big edge and flew to short third man as Mayank Agarwal took a simple catch.
Brief scores
Kolkata Knight Riders beats Sunrisers Hyderabad by five runs.
Kolkata Knight Riders 171/9 (Rinku Singh 46, Nitish Rana 42, T Natarajan 2/30) Sunrisers Hyderabad 166/8 (Aiden Markram 41, Heinrich Klaasen 36, Shardul Thakur 2/23).
Man-of-the-match: Varun Chakravarthy
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