Mumbai: A brilliant 122-run partnership off 66 balls for the fourth wicket between opener David Warner (92* off 58) and Rovman Powell (67* off 35) helped Delhi Capitals post 207/3 in 20 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 50 of the IPL 2022, here on Thursday.
Warner played like he had a few scores to settle against his former team that had unceremoniously dumped him after removing him as captain midway through the 2021 season. He played brilliant shots, did not allow any chances and blasted 12 fours and three sixes in his 58-ball unbeaten 92.
Asked to bat first by Sunrisers Hyderabad, Warner found a good partner in Powell after Mandeep Singh (0), Mitchell Marsh (10) and skipper Rishabh Pant (26) had slumped to 85/3. Warner and Powell then stitched 122 runs for the unconquered fourth-wicket. Warner was dealing in fours and Powell in sixes as they blazed to glory.
With the Aussie in superb form, Delhi still raced to 50/2 at the end of the power-play.
Warner found a good partner in Pant as they raised 48 runs for the third wicket in quick time.
Pant scored 26 off 16 deliveries, blasting three sixes and a four off successive deliveries off-spinner Shreyas Gopal — a slog sweep over square-leg for six, followed by one straight over the bowler’s head and a slash over long-on off a googly bowled on off-stump. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter despatched the fourth delivery to the boundary, going back and playing a cut shot behind square.
But Pant played a shot too many as he was out off the last ball of the over when he tried to reach out to wide delivery and dragged it onto his stumps. The over cost Sunrisers 23 runs, but more importantly, led to the departure of Pant and Delhi was again a step back.
Warner, however, continued to torment Sunrisers as he completed his half-century off 34 balls, with a four off Kartik Tyagi. He thrived on the bowling, chose the balls well, and found the gaps to score 12 boundaries. It was a superb display of controlled aggression.
He hammered Umran Malik for two successive fours and a superb six in the fourth over, the over costing Sunrisers 21 runs as the J&K bowler did not help his cause by bowling a couple of wides, one of which beat the keeper to the boundary. He smashed Aiden Markram for a six — the 400th for Warner in all T20 matches, planting his front foot down and launching the ball over long-on. He also struck Tyagi for fours off successive deliveries in the sixth over — the second one a brilliant off-drive on a delivery bowled full and outside off.
While Warner was looking for gaps and placing his shots well, Powell was not bothered about such niceties. He dealt with power and power alone as he blazed to 67 off just 35 deliveries.
He struck Shreyas Gopal for a six in his second over and then hammered Abbott for sixes off successive balls in the 17th over. He blasted Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kartik Tyagi for a six each and then struck Umran Malik for three fours in a row after a six off the first delivery of the 20th over.
Malik was carted around by both Warner and Powell as he conceded 52 runs in his four overs while Shreyas Gopal was blasted for 37 off three. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the best Sunrisers bowler on Thursday as he finished with 1/25 off four overs.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 207/3 in 20 overs (David Warner 92 not out, Rishabh Pant 26, Rovman Powell 67 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1/25) against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
(IANS)
