IPL PIX: Hyderabad rise and shine to scorch Rajasthan

Images from the Indian Premier League match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Dubai, on Monday.

• SCORECARD

Opener Jason Roy and skipper Kane Williamson fired gutsy half-centuries to steer Sunrisers Hyderabad to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Dubai, on Monday.

The result sort of complicated the calculations for play-off berths.

Opting to bat, the Royals scored 164 for 6 on the back of a well-calculated 82-run knock by skipper Sanju Samson.

However, the total proved insufficient as Roy (60 off 42) and Williamson (51 not out) led the team to only their second win of the season.

The defeat dented the Royals' play-off chances as they remain in sixth spot, with eight points.

The Sunrisers, who are out of the play-offs, stay put at the bottom of the eight-team table.

Four teams -- Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, Royals and Mumbai Indians -- are tied on eight points each.

Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals are well-placed for the top two places, with 16 points each.

Chasing 165, Roy, playing his first match for Sunrisers, and Wriddhiman Saha (18 off 11) put up 57 without loss.

The two plundered 18 runs off the fifth over, bowled by Chris Morris, that included four fours. The fine partnership was broken by spinner Mahipal Lomror (1/22).

Williamson and Roy, without taking much risk, continued to milk runs to take Sunrisers to 90 for 1 at the half-way stage.

Roy was dropped on 55 by Yashasvi Jasiwal off Rahul Tewatia but caught off rookie pacer Chetan Sakaria (1/32) soon after.

Priyam Garg (0) then departed as the Royals appeared to stage a comeback. But Williamson and young Abhishek Sharma (21) guided the Sunrisers over the line.

Earlier, Skipper Sanju Samson came up with a well-calculated 82-run knock on a sluggish track to help Rajasthan Royals put up 164 for 5.

It was a second consecutive fifty for Samson, after conjuring up an unbeaten 70 against Delhi Capitals on Saturday.

He sent the ball seven times to the fence and thrice over it during his impressive 57-ball innings, which made him the leading run-scorer (433) of the season, surpassing Delhi Capitals Shikhar Dhawan (430).

Yashasvi Jaiswal (36) and Mahipal Lomror (29 not out), who was dropped twice (23 and 29), were the other two batters to provide valuable contributions on a wicket where the ball did not come on to the bat easily for a major part of Royals innings.

Asked to bowl, pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/28) came up with a splendid length ball on leg stump which worked perfectly for SRH as the dangerous Evin Lewis (6) hit straight to Abdul Samad at deep backward square leg in the second over.

Despite snaring Lewis's wicket early, the Sunrisers bowlers were guilty of bowling wide and short and Jaiswal took the opportunity to counterattack.

The youngster, who smashed four boundaries and a six, played some splendid shots, with Samson also slowly finding his feet, as the two collected 46 runs in the Powerplay.

The duo went on to share a 56-run stand before Sandeep Sharma (1/30) got rid of Jaiswal, who had hit a stunning six just a ball earlier.

To keep the pressure on the Royals, SRH skipper Kane Williamson brought in star Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan (1/31) back into the attack and a mis-hit by Liam Livingstone (4) meant the move was met with the desired result.

With Lomror playing second fiddle to perfection, Samson took over the proceedings, but Siddharth Kaul (2/36) bowled a great last over, dismissing Samson and Riyan Parag (0) to restrict the Royals to 164 after being hit for 20 runs in his third over. 

• IPL 2021