Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Kings XI Punjab by 45 runs to increase their chances of going into the playoffs. After KXIP won the toss in Hyderabad, SRH were given a brisk start by David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha. With six wins from 12 games, SRH are now fourth in the points table.
Here are three takeaways from SRH's big win against KXIP:
David Warner fares well
Playing his last match of the tournament, David Warner finished it big by taking his tally of runs to 692 runs in 12 innings during this year's IPL.
On course, he notched eight fifties and one hundred at a splendid average of 69.2 and an impressive strike rate of 143.86.
Warner scored 81 runs to help SRH get a massive 212/6 on the board. He hit seven fours and two sixes in his stroke-filled knock. His absence will be a big blow for SRH who have two league games.
Warner would be joining Australia's World Cup camp to train for the quadrennial event starting May 30.
Team-effort wins it for SRH
Though Warner scored a major chunk of the runs, he was well supported by other batsmen in the top order. Warner's opening partner Wriddhiman Saha scored a quick-fire 28 off 13 balls. Manish Pandey who was involved in an 82-run partnership with the Australian scored 36 off 25 balls to lay the platform for a big finish.
Afghani all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and Skipper Kane Williamson played quick cameos to see SRH past the psychological 200-run mark.
Even while bowling, though only Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed and Rashid Khan were among wickets, the other bowlers didn't leak too many runs to ensure KXIP never got close to the required run-rate.
Sandeep, Khaleel and Rashid returned figures of 2/33, 3/40 and 3/21 respectively.
KL Rahul, the lone fighter
Having lost the dangerous Chris Gayle early in the innings, KL Rahul played with his usual flair to keep KXIP in the hunt even when he kept losing partners on the other end.
Mayank Agarwal (27 off 18 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (20 off 10 balls) were the only other notable contributors for KXIP.
KXIP were comfortable at 95/2 before a middle order collapse reduced them to 107/5. Rahul seemed unaffected as he forged a 52-run partnership with debutant Simran Sigh for the sixth wicket.
KL Rahul faltered in the penultimate over as KXIP were bowled out of contention in the match requiring 48 off the last over.
He scored 79 runs off 56 balls to go second on the highest run-getters list with 520 runs in 12 matches at an average of 57.77.