1 that got away: Bhuvi helps SRH end RR’s streak with one-run victory

Hyderabad, May 2

Bhuvneshwar Kumar did the star turn with a sensational final over as Sunrisers Hyderabad stunned Rajasthan Royals by just one run in a last-ball thriller to keep their IPL playoff hopes alive here today.

Needing two to win off the last delivery, Bhuvneshwar (3/41) trapped Rovman Powell (27) with a full toss to leave RR at 200/7 while chasing a target of 202.

Opting to bat, Nitish Reddy (76 not out) and Travis Head (58) produced explosive fifties, while Heinrich Klaasen made an unbeaten 19-ball 42 to power SRH to 201/3.

Things were looking up when Bhuvneshwar removed Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for ducks in the opening over to leave RR at 1/2.

However, youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal (67) and Riyan Parag (77) came up with counterattacking fifties on way to a massive 134-run partnership to lay the foundation of the run chase.

But once the duo was back in the hut, Shimron Hetmyer (13) hit a four and a six as it seemed like a normal chase but T Natarajan got rid off Hetmyer, who perished at long-on and then skipper Pat Cummins removed Dhruv Jurel, who was caught at deep square leg in the 19th over.

The sudden loss of wickets gave SRH hope of a turnaround but Powell produced a six in the last ball of the 19th over to bring the equation down to 13 off six balls.

The West Indian was calm enough to bring it down to two off the last ball but Bhuvneshwar denied him the glory. — PTI

Brief scores

SRH: 201/3 in 20 overs (Reddy 76*, Head 58; Avesh 2/39) vs RR: 200/7 in 20 overs (Parag 77, Jaiswal 67; Bhuvneshwar 3/41, Cummins 2/34)

Wednesday’s result

CSK: 162/7 in 20 overs (Gaikwad 62, Rahane 29; Brar 2/17, Chahar 2/16) vs PBKS: 163/3 in 17.5 overs (Bairstow 46, Rossouw 43, Curran 26*)

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