The fifth ball of the 17th over of the Kings XI Punjab innings. Trent Boult bowled a yorker outside off-stump of Wriddhiman Saha, who was now swishing his bat like a swordsman fighting in darkness. Saha tried to paddle-sweep the ball. He failed. The ball deflected off his right leg, which was planted outside the off stump, and raced down to the fine-leg boundary.
Poor shot selection, and poorer execution, but the batsman was rewarded with a boundary. The bowler, who was intelligent and accurate, got nothing.
This is exactly why T20, especially the IPL T20 (played on flat subcontinental tracks), is a cruel jokefor bowlers. The probability of a good ball going for a boundary is greater than that of a bad ball fetching a wicket. It doesn’t matter if you have the world’s best bowler in your team – you will still end up losing if you don’t have good batsmen.
No other team know that better than Sunrisers Hyderabad. But it would’ve been a huge sigh of relief for the team management as, for once, the bowling attack defended a modest total of 150.
Standard batting model
After being asked to bat by Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad batted the same way that they have in the tournament so far. They got a good start, though they lost an opener early. But the weak middle order failed to capitalise on the start, and they posted a modest total.
Shikhar Dhawan, who usually looks comfortable before getting out, was dismissed after scoring just one. It was then up to David Warner and the rest. Warner scored a scintillating 41-ball 58, and the Sunrisers looked like scoring 180 or above while he was at the crease. Thereafter, the rest toiled to reach 150.
Bailed out by bowlers
With an average score to defend, Hyderabad began well by restricting the Kings XI Punjab batsmen to 13/2 at the end of four overs. Trent Boult and Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit the good length accurately on a pitch that offered a hint of swing. Both tried to angle the ball outside the batsman’s off-stump. Kings XI’s top order was constantly beaten by these two bowlers.
Manan Vohra, who was replacing Virender Sehwag, never looked comfortable during his brief stay. He took his time to settle, defending a lot of deliveries that went outside the off-stump. After scoring five of eight balls, he went for an expansive drive to an in-swinger that was pitched outside off. The ball swung, hit the inside edge and duly rocked the leg stump.
In the next over, Shaun Marsh got out in a similar fashion to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Marsh tried to nudge an in-swinger to the third man. It took the inside edge and kissed the leg-stump.
Both these bowlers were supported well by the rest of the Sunrisers bowling unit. They bowled tight lines that constricted the batsmen to go for singles. Karn Sharma bowled a few deliveries slower through the air, making it difficult for the batsman to score. He foxed the dangerous David Miller, who holed out at long off. Karn Sharma is more difficult to negotiate when he tries to bowl slower through the air. He must continue this to be a strike bowler for Sunrsiers.
Praveen Kumar, usually accurate and wily, had an off-day. He strayed on to the pads and bowled full-tosses. But Moses Henriques, who replaced Dale Steyn, also bowled well and took the key wicket of George Bailey when he looked settled.
Led by the athletic David Warner, the fielding of the Sunrisers was top-notch. Warner made a brilliant save in the eighteenth over when Boult was driven through the covers by Rishi Dhawan. The ball was racing towards the boundary when Warner took long strides from long-off, slid across the turf, picked the ball up only with his left hand, and threw it back.
Bowling is the strongest point of Sunrisers and it must be pleasing that their bowlers lived up to expectations. But it must be foolish to expect them to defend such low scores over and over again. The bowlers know their responsibility and have chipped in with good performances so far. But the batting is still a matter of concern for the Sunrisers. One more person batsman, in addition to Warner, has to play well consistently for the Sunrisers to qualify for the play-offs.
Poor shot selection, and poorer execution, but the batsman was rewarded with a boundary. The bowler, who was intelligent and accurate, got nothing.
This is exactly why T20, especially the IPL T20 (played on flat subcontinental tracks), is a cruel jokefor bowlers. The probability of a good ball going for a boundary is greater than that of a bad ball fetching a wicket. It doesn’t matter if you have the world’s best bowler in your team – you will still end up losing if you don’t have good batsmen.
No other team know that better than Sunrisers Hyderabad. But it would’ve been a huge sigh of relief for the team management as, for once, the bowling attack defended a modest total of 150.
Standard batting model
After being asked to bat by Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad batted the same way that they have in the tournament so far. They got a good start, though they lost an opener early. But the weak middle order failed to capitalise on the start, and they posted a modest total.
Shikhar Dhawan, who usually looks comfortable before getting out, was dismissed after scoring just one. It was then up to David Warner and the rest. Warner scored a scintillating 41-ball 58, and the Sunrisers looked like scoring 180 or above while he was at the crease. Thereafter, the rest toiled to reach 150.
Bailed out by bowlers
With an average score to defend, Hyderabad began well by restricting the Kings XI Punjab batsmen to 13/2 at the end of four overs. Trent Boult and Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit the good length accurately on a pitch that offered a hint of swing. Both tried to angle the ball outside the batsman’s off-stump. Kings XI’s top order was constantly beaten by these two bowlers.
Manan Vohra, who was replacing Virender Sehwag, never looked comfortable during his brief stay. He took his time to settle, defending a lot of deliveries that went outside the off-stump. After scoring five of eight balls, he went for an expansive drive to an in-swinger that was pitched outside off. The ball swung, hit the inside edge and duly rocked the leg stump.
In the next over, Shaun Marsh got out in a similar fashion to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Marsh tried to nudge an in-swinger to the third man. It took the inside edge and kissed the leg-stump.
Both these bowlers were supported well by the rest of the Sunrisers bowling unit. They bowled tight lines that constricted the batsmen to go for singles. Karn Sharma bowled a few deliveries slower through the air, making it difficult for the batsman to score. He foxed the dangerous David Miller, who holed out at long off. Karn Sharma is more difficult to negotiate when he tries to bowl slower through the air. He must continue this to be a strike bowler for Sunrsiers.
Praveen Kumar, usually accurate and wily, had an off-day. He strayed on to the pads and bowled full-tosses. But Moses Henriques, who replaced Dale Steyn, also bowled well and took the key wicket of George Bailey when he looked settled.
Led by the athletic David Warner, the fielding of the Sunrisers was top-notch. Warner made a brilliant save in the eighteenth over when Boult was driven through the covers by Rishi Dhawan. The ball was racing towards the boundary when Warner took long strides from long-off, slid across the turf, picked the ball up only with his left hand, and threw it back.
Bowling is the strongest point of Sunrisers and it must be pleasing that their bowlers lived up to expectations. But it must be foolish to expect them to defend such low scores over and over again. The bowlers know their responsibility and have chipped in with good performances so far. But the batting is still a matter of concern for the Sunrisers. One more person batsman, in addition to Warner, has to play well consistently for the Sunrisers to qualify for the play-offs.
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