Hasaranga runs riot of SRH to hand 67-run win

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga finished brilliantly what off-spinner Glenn Maxwell started off for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Hasaranga from Sri Lanka broke the third-wicket partnership between Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram that was worth 50 by consuming the South African off the first ball he bowled, coming in the ninth over of the SRH run-chase.

Markram, until then batting well and was the big hope along with Tripathi if SRH had any chance of overhauling RCB’s imposing total of 192 for three, went for a slog sweep first up against the leg-spinner and gave Virat Kohli a catch at wide long-on.

SRH’s hopes diminished with Markram’s dismissal and when Tripathi, who was fighting valiantly without much support, fell to Josh Hazlewood, pulling the Australian to backward square leg boundary.

Hasaranga picked up another big wicket, that of the left-handed Nicholas Pooran, who only recently was named the West Indies limited-overs captain replacing the retired Kieron Pollard. Pooran, who can destroy any attack and could take the match close, considering the tall target that his team faced, fell to a smart catch by Shahbaz Ahmed. The leg-spinner tossed up the first delivery of his second over, 13^th of the innings, and the West Indian edged to short third man, Shahbaz running in and diving in front to pluck a low catch. With Pooran gone, SRH’s only last hope was the free-stroking Rahul Tripathi, who was dropped by the man of the match Hasaranga himself, a sitter at deep third man when the batsman was on 55, the unlucky bowler being Mohammed Siraj.

However, Hasaranga made up for his poor fielding skills with the ball, taking the wicket of Jagadeesha Suchith, who was surprisingly pressed into bat ahead of Shashank Singh. It did not matter who the batsman was as Hasaranga claimed Suchith, who was overambitious in searching for a six stepping out and was promptly stumped.

In his fourth over, Hasaranga claimed two wickets in two deliveries, those of Shashank Singh, caught in the deep, and Umran Malik, leg before wicket, before No. 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi denied the Lankan the hat-trick. Hasaranga finished with five for 18, the best bowling figures in this IPL so far, and took his tally of wickets to 21, just one less than Purple Cap holder Yuzvendra Chahal, a former RCB player and currently with Rajasthan Royals.

Though three of Hasaranga’s victims were lower-order batsmen, his crucial scalps of Markram and Pooran made a big difference in the end. He hastened SRH’s collapse that they suffered their fourth consecutive defeat while also exacting a sweet revenge on them after SRH skittled out RCB for an embarrassing 68 in their previous encounter.

Hasaranga gave finishing touches to what his fellow slow bowler, Maxwell started. Opening the bowling, the Australian off-spinner’s opening over was eventful. Off his first ball, SRH captain Kane Williamson was run out to a direct hit by Shahbaz Ahmed from cover without the batsman facing a delivery. Off his fifth delivery, he dismissed Abhishek Sharma, who has been amongst the runs in this season. Sharma played a poor shot for one that straightened after pitching around the off-stump to disturb the furniture. With two wickets for just one run after the first over, SRH found it difficult to go for a win. The eventual 67-run win for RCB kept them in the race while SRH, though not out of contention, will have to win their remaining three matches to make it.

Hasaranga’s strikes on the day made it all the more difficult for SRH while making the case easier for RCB.