Hyderabad: The Sunrisers began the IPL opener where they left off last year as they smashed the Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers to rattle 207 — one run short of their 2016 title-winning total — before bundling their rivals out for 172 to send the delirious home crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in raptures on Wednesday night.
The hosts drew first blood via Afgun Rashid Khan. The leg-break bowler claimed Mandeep as he tried to cut the overseas player only to see an underedge fall on to the base of his leg stump. Big-hitting Chris Gayle (32) went for one too many and was caught by David Warner at long-off as he tried to hoist Deepak Hooda for his fourth six.
Travis Head and Kedar Jadhav then put up a good stand of 56 for the third wicket before falling in quick succession, the latter falling first courtesy a direct hit by Ben Cutting from fine leg as the batsman was closing in on his second run.
That was about it. The RCB were in the pits and kept sinking further.
Earlier, Moises Henriques and Yuvraj Singh led the assault with cracking half-centuries to set the Sunrisers scorecard on a gallop. The former hit a 37-ball 52 while Yuvi smashed 62 in 27 balls as the hosts made the most of the first use of the wicket after losing captain David Warner in the second over.
The RCB fielding left a lot to be desired. Fumbling with the ball on the ground and in the air pointed to their rustiness barring one brilliant blocking effort on the boundary by Mandeep.
RCB captain Shane Watson pressed in seven bowlers by the 11th over. The skipper himself was off colour, conceding 41 runs in three overs. After giving away 17 runs in his first over, the Australian ejected himself out of the attack and introduced Travis Head but the Sunrisers tail continued to wag. It was not until the fifth change, in the 11th over, that RCB tasted second success. Dhawan smashed Stuart Binny in search of his first six but holed out to Sachin Baby at long-on to end his 31-ball 40 that included five fours.
In walked Yuvraj Singh and out went the ball of the playing area, with alarming regularity. Two fours and a six off an Aniket over meant the Eagles had taken flight. Left-arm pacer Sreenath Aravind was then hammered through the off-side by Moises before Yuvraj pummelled him into the second tier of the pavilion. Moises fell soon though, trying to up the tempo.
