Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will want to move a step closer to sealing a spot in IPL 2016 playoffs with a win over the Rising Pune Supergiants on Tuesday. David Warner and co. are in top form and have become one of the teams to beat in this edition of the IPL.
RPS will be wary of their opponents, and will look to their win over SRH in the previous meeting earlier this month. MS Dhoni & co. won that game by 34 runs via the D/L method.
Here is a prediction of RPS vs SRH.
If RPS bat first: Usman Khawaja and Ajinkya Rahane get off to a quick start and manage to score 50 runs in the Powerplay overs. However, it is then that David Warner brings Mustafizur Rahman and in no time, the left-arm cutter specialist starts creating problem for these two batsmen. Mustafizur removes Khawaja and Saurabh Tiwary in the same over and all of sudden the Supergiants are on the back foot. Dhoni comes up the batting order and sets up a nice partnership with Rahane. The duo adds 50 more runs to the total until Rahane walks back to the pavilion after yet another half-century. George Bailey and Dhoni help the Supergiants go past the 160-run mark at the end of the 20 overs.
Warner and Shikhar Dhawan get off to a flier. Most of the bowlers are being taken for plenty. At the end of the first six overs, Sunrisers are cruising at 62/0. Adam Zampa is the man who rescues Dhoni with back-to-back strikes in the same over. Kane Williamson and Yuvraj Singh try to build a partnership, but fail as the latter gets foxed by a traditional off-spinner from R Ashwin. Henriques too departs soon after Yuvraj. The onus is on Williamson to take visitors over the line. At the end, SRH falls short by 15 runs to hand RPS a much-needed win.
If SRH bat first: Warner gets out cheaply as he is stumped by Dhoni in the very first over. Ashwin has this knack of picking up wickets with the new ball. Williamson and Dhawan build a steady partnership, adding 80 runs for the second wicket. Dhawan decides to cut lose in the 12th over, but Zampa foxes him with a googly and the left-handed batsman is stumped. Yuvraj plays a brisk innings towards the end to help his side reach a total of 172/5 in 20 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane and Usman Khawaja start off the run chase cautiously. Their aim is clear – do not lose wickets in the first six overs and build a strong partnership. Rahane and Khawaja add 109 runs for the first wicket and MS Dhoni & co. are well in control of the game. All of a sudden, Mustafizur strikes twice in his two overs to give a chance to his side. But, Thisara Perera and Irfan Pathan finish things off in the penultimate over as the two left-handers deal in sixes and fours.
