In a thrilling encounter at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Mohali, Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged victorious by a narrow margin of two runs against Punjab Kings. Despite a late onslaught in the last over, Punjab Kings fell short of the target of 183, managing only 180 for six.

Sunrisers Hyderabad initially had the upper hand, but a late surge by Punjab Kings threatened to turn the tide. However, a remarkable 19th over bowled by T Natarajan proved decisive in favor of Sunrisers, as they managed to contain Punjab Kings to just 10 runs, leaving them needing an improbable 26 runs off the final over.

Sunrisers have a solid start

Although Punjab Kings’ duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma put up a valiant effort with a 69-run partnership in the last 4.3 overs, it wasn’t enough to secure victory. Despite Jaidev Unadkat conceding 26 runs in the final over, including three wides, Sunrisers Hyderabad held their nerve to clinch the win.

Earlier in the match, Punjab Kings’ top order struggled, with the top three batters falling cheaply. It was only the partnership between Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma that breathed life into their innings. However, their efforts were overshadowed by a disciplined bowling performance from Sunrisers Hyderabad, particularly by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and captain Pat Cummins, who provided a solid start.

Nitish Reddy shines from the Sunrisers

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, the innings was characterized by a remarkable comeback after being reduced to 39 for 3 in the third over and 64 for four after the fifth. Nitish Reddy played a crucial role in stabilizing the innings with a gritty knock, before accelerating in the latter part of his innings to propel Sunrisers to a competitive total.

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Despite a stellar performance by Punjab Kings’ bowler Harpreet Brar initially, Nitish Reddy’s onslaught in the latter part of his innings turned the tide in favor of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Arshdeep Singh emerged as the standout bowler for Punjab Kings, striking crucial blows at crucial junctures to keep the pressure on Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In the end, it was a hard-fought victory for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who overcame early setbacks and a late surge by Punjab Kings to secure a crucial win in the tournament.