CLT20 PHOTOS: Dhawan, Parthiv lift Sunrisers to victory over Kandurata

New captain Shikhar Dhawan led from the front with the bat as he steered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Kundarata Maroons, in the second qualifying match of the Champions League T20 in Mohali, on Tuesday.

- SCORECARD

Dhawan slammed 71 from 53 balls, hitting 11 boundaries, before he was caught by Nuwan Kulasekara off Ajantha Mendis in the 17th over.

He put on 121 runs from 83 balls for the opening wicket with Parthiv Patel, who smashed 52 from 42 balls.

Thisara Perera finished off things in style as he blasted 32 not out from 11 balls, with the help of four boundaries and two sixes, as Sunrisers reached 174 for two in 18.3 overs to start off with a win.

Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad's new captain Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and elected to bowl against Sri Lankan side Kandurata Maroons in the second match of the qualifiers, of the Champions League T20 in Mohali, on Tuesday.

- SCORECARD

Hyderabad left out Cameron White, while bringing in JP Duminy, Darren Sammy, Thisara Perera and Dale Steyn as their four overseas players.

Maroons also boast of a strong team including former Sri Lanka and Sunrisers captain Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Upul Tharanga, Nuwan Kulasekara in a star-studded line-up.

Dhawan believes that there will be some dew later on and hence he decided to field. "I feel that there is going to be dew later on and would like to chase. It is the first game for me as a captain and I am looking forward for it," he said at the toss.

Teams:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Parthiv Patel, JP Duminy, Biplab Samantray, Darren Sammy, Thisara Perera, Ashish Reddy, Karan Sharma, Amit Mishra,  Dale Steyn, Ishant Sharma.

Kandurata Maroons: Lahiru Thirimanne (captain), Shehan Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Thilina Kandamby, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lahiru Jayaratne, Ajantha Mendis.

Pacer Ishant Sharma gave Sunrisers an early wicket when he dismissed Upul Tharanga in fourth over of the innings.

- SCORECARD

Tharanga, who made 19 from 18 balls, was caught behind by wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.

Shehan Jayasuriya joined his opening partner Tharanga in the dressing room, in the very next over.

The left-hander perished for four when he was also caught behind by Patel as Kandurata were reduced to 33 for two after five overs.

Veteran Kumar Sangakkara rallied Kandurata with a quickfire half-century.

He hit Thisara Perera for successive boundaries in the 18th over to race to his fifty from 36 balls.

Kandurata Maroons captain Lahiru Thirimanne led from the front with the bat as he blazed his way to a half-century.

He hit five fours and two sixes in his 39-ball 54 that put Kandurata in control despite the early wickets.

Courtesy of half-centuries from Sangakkara and Thirimanne, Kandurata posted a huge 168 for three in 20 overs.

The duo put on 89 runs from 65 balls for the third wicket to put their team in control.

Sangakkara finished unbeaten on 61 from 46 balls, having hit seven boundaries, while Dilhara Lokuhettige hit 21 from 10 balls as Kandurata smashed 56 runs in the last five overs.

Left-handers Shikhar Dhawan and Parthiv Patel gave Sunrisers Hyderabad a flying start with a flurry of boundaries in the early overs.

Dhawan went after spinner Ajantha Mendis in his first over, slamming him for three boundaries in a row, as they raced to 58 for no loss after six overs.

Patel went on the attack right from the word go. He hit pacer Lahiru Jayaratne for a couple of boundaries in the second over before hitting Nuwan Kulasekara for back to back boundaries in the next over.

Dhawan continued the flow of boundaries as he smashed Dilhara Lokuhettige for back to back fours through midwicket, in the fourth over.

Both Dhawan and Patel raced to their half-centuries, in the 12th over.

Dhawan brought up his 22nd fifty in T20 cricket from 35 balls, while Patel took 37 deliveries to reach the landmark as Hyderabad raced to 110 for no loss after 12 overs.

The two openers put on 121 runs from 83 balls before Patel was caught at long-on off Shehan Jayasuriya after scoring 52 from 42 balls.