PICS: Another Warner show as Sunrisers crush Kings

Images from Monday’s IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab, in Hyderabad.

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David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style. The dashing Australian batsman notched his eight 50-plus score of the season to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a thumping 45 runs victory over Kings XI Punjab, in Hyderabad, on Monday.

Playing his last match of season before heading home for World Cup preparations, Warner struck a belligerent 81 off 56 balls, inclusive of seven fours and two sixes, to finish his IPL Season 12 campaign with 692 runs, the highest so far in the tournament, as Sunrisers posted a commanding 212 for six.

In reply, Kings XI, despite a solid 79 off 56 balls from Lokesh Raul, could only muster 167 for 8. Rashid Khan was Sunrisers's most-economical bowler with figures of 3 for 21.

The victory took Sunrisers to No. 4 on the points table with 12 from 12 games, while Kings are placed sixth with 10 points from 12. Both team have two more matches to play.

Earlier, Warner and Wriddhiman Saha (28 off 13) got Sunrisers off to a brisk start after being sent in to bat. The duo took the Kings XI bowlers to the cleaners and amassed 77 runs of the first six overs of powerplay.

Warner made his intentions clear from the onset, hitting young Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries in the opening over and then followed it up with a six over long-off in Mujeeb-Ur Rahman's next over.

Mujeeb was in for some treatment as Warner hit two more boundaries in the spinner's next over and then Saha also found the fence to bring up Sunrisers's fifty in the fourth.

Saha then went after Mohammed Shami (2/36) and hit the pacer for a boundary and six off consecutive balls.

Saha's innings came to an end when he under-edged a Murugan Ashwin delivery to debutant Prabhsimran Singh behind the stumps. He shared 78 runs off 6.2 overs with Warner for the opening stand.

Warner continued in the same vein and notched his eight fifty of the season with a boundary off Shami in the 12th over.

Then came in in-form Manish Pandey (36 off 25) and he too played a quick knock in Warner's company.

Pandey, who struck three fours and a six, added 82 off 55 balls along with Warner before Kings XI skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (2/20) struck twin blows in the 16th over to remove both the set batsmen.      

First, Ashwin accounted for Pandey and then two balls later dismissed Warner, caught by Mujeeb at point of what was a tired-looking shot.

Then skipper Kane Williamson (14 off 7) and Mohammad Nabi (20 off 10) also played short cameos towards the end.

Kings XI needed a brisk start, but failed to get one as they lost the explosive Chris Gayle early.

The West Indian batsman departed to the first ball of the third over, brilliantly caught by Manish Pandey off Khaleel Ahmed (3/40) with the Kings XI scoreboard reading 11.

Thereafter, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (27 off 18) added 60 off 39 balls to take Kings XI forward.

But just when the partnership was looking threatening, Agarwal was caught by Vijay Shankar off Rashid Khan (3/21) in the ninth over.

New man in Nicholas Pooran (21 off 10) played a short breezy knock before Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a beautiful catch at long-leg boundary off Ahmed to send the batsman back.

Rashid then came to the party and picked two wickets -- David Miller (11 off 11) and skipper Ravichandran Ashwin – off consecutive deliveries in the 13th over to stand in chance of registering a hat-trick, which did not materalise.

From there on, the asking was tall for Rahul and debutant Prabhsimran Singh (16). The former finally perished in the 19th over after a beautiful knock to shut the doors for Kings XI.