Sunrisers Hyderabad have been restricted to 134/9 by Delhi Capitals in both teams' first match of the UAE edition of IPL 2021.
Kane Williamson had won the toss and elected to bat first but his opening pair lasted all of three deliveries before David Warner fell on a duck, to Anrich Nortje. Trying to flick towards leg-side, he got a leading edge caught by Axar Patel at point.
The skipper then walked in at number three and 27-ball 29-run stand with Wriddhiman Saha and when the keeper became Kagiso Rabada's first wicket of the match.
Williamson (18) looked scratchy and was far from his best. After surviving two dropped chances in a span of five balls, he tried to go big against Axar Patel but his loft came off the toe-end of the bat and was caught by Shimron Hetmyer at long-off running to his right.
Williamson (18) looked scratchy and was far from his best. After surviving two dropped chances in a span of five balls, he tried to go big against Axar Patel but his loft came off the toe-end of the bat and was caught by Shimron Hetmyer at long-off running to his right.
Rabada followed it up with Manish Pandey's wicket with a short ball angled towards the body. Cramped for room, the SRH batter tried to flick awkwardly but the ball took the leading edge and Rabada moved to his right to complete an easy catch.
Nortje's return into the attack brought another wicket for Delhi, with Kedar Jadhav (3) trapped plumb in front of the wicket. Jadhav sought a review but couldn't reverse the decision. Hyderabad's problems increased as Jason Holder (3) drove straight to Prithvi Shaw at cover off Patel.
Abdul Samad (28) hit Rabada for a boundary on the first ball. But on the next ball, Rabada removed Samad with a short ball which he tried to pull, only for the top-edge to be pouched by Rishabh Pant.
Abdul Samad of Sunrisers Hyderabad in action against Delhi Capitals.
(Photo: BCCI)
Rashid Khan cracked Rabada for a six, sliced over backward point followed by a four with a top-edge over the keeper in the same over, collecting some crucial runs for his team. But Khan's bid to lend some respectability to the total were stopped by a run-out from Steve Smith. Pant's accurate throw on the final ball of the innings caught Sandeep Sharma short of the crease, bringing Hyderabad's innings to a close.
Earlier today, SRH's entire camp had to undergo a covid test after T Natarajan tested positive on Tuesday. It was only after they all tested negative did the BCCI give the green signal for tonight's match to be played.
(More to follow)
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