Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had another dismal outing in the ongoing IPL as they were beaten by Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a low-scoring thriller at Sharjah on Saturday (September 25).
Invited to bat first, PBKS posted 125/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Jason Holder was the stand-out bowler for SRH, claiming three wickets by conceding only 19 runs in his four overs.
Chasing the paltry target, Sunrisers fell 5 runs short. All-rounder Holder starred with the bat as well, smashing 47 not out off 29 balls but his knock went in vain as SRH could score only 120/7 in 20 overs.
Speaking after the game, SRH skipper Kane Williamson lauded Holder for keeping the match competitive with his brilliant individual performance in both halves.
"The bowling unit, fielding unit did a fantastic job. Certainly, the surface was a tough one. Required partnerships and we were certainly backing ourselves to get close. It took a brilliant individual performance in both halves from Jason Holder, especially with the bat to keep the match competitive," Williamson said during the post-match presentation.
"It's (SRH) a proud franchise, frustrating season. We do need to look for areas to improve. We try to learn from the first half of the game. Punjab tried to come out attacking like it usually happens in T20s. But playing shots was challenging," the 31-year-old pointed.
Pacer Mohammad Shami and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi starred with the ball for PBKS. While Shami (2/14) dented SRH’s top-order with two quick wickets, Bishnoi ran through the middle-order to return with the figures of 3 for 24 in his four overs.
"For us, it was about looking to build platforms. It was quite a challenge to pounce on them without losing wickets. The games come thick and fast. We need to come to the next game with fresh eyes and freedom. We will try and put in the best. Smart cricket needs to be played with different surfaces," Williamson said.
It was Sunrisers Hyderabad’s eighth defeat in nine games of this IPL season and they are now out of the play-off race. They will take on Rajasthan Royals in their next match in Dubai on Monday (September 27).
