Bengaluru: Sunrisers Hyderabad claimed their maiden IPL title win, defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight runs in the final clash at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium today.
Chasing a massive target of 209 runs, Royal Challengers Bangalore made an excellent start with Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli adding a speedy 114 runs in just 11 overs for the first wicket.
Before getting caught by Bipul Sharma on Cutting’s delivery, Gayle made 76 runs from just 38 balls smashing four fours and sky-rise sixes.
Virat Kohli continued with his excellent form in the season as he scored yet another half century. He scored 54 runs from 35 balls with five fours and two sixes.
However, after Kohli’s dismissal, wickets started falling at regular intervals.
RCB, who were at one time looking strong at 140/1 in the thirteenth over fell short of eight runs thereby missing the chance of winning their maiden IPL title.
For SRH, Cutting took two wickets giving away 35 runs in his 4-over slot. Barinder Sran, Mustafizur Rahman and Bipul Sharma grabbed one wicket each.
Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderababd, propelled by captain David Warner (69), Ben Cutting (39) and Yuvraj Singh (38), scored 208/7 in 20 overs.
Opening the innings with Shikar Dhawan, Warner started off slowly but then began scoring quick runs in a 38-ball-69, which included eight fours and three sixes.
They posted a 69-run partnership off 40 balls to lay the foundation of the big score after Warner won the toss and chose to bat first.
Though Deepak Hooda (3), Moises Henriques (4) and Naman Ojha failed with the bat, big hitting Yuvraj Singh and Cutting rose to the occasion in the middle and final overs respectively.
With four fours and two sixes, Yuvraj looked set for a big score, until he was caught by Watson off Chris Jordan.
It was however Cutting who gave nightmare moments to Royal Challengers in the final overs, when he smashed 39 runs which included four sixes and three fours of just 15 balls.
In the last over off Watson, Cutting plundered 24 runs, hitting three sixes and a four. One of his huge sixes went over the roof, needing a new ball to be brought in.
Though Royal Challengers looked good with the ball in the beginning, they gave away too many runs in the final overs. In the last 42 balls, RCB leaked 82 runs while claiming five wickets.
(With IANS Inputs)
