Match Center

Right then, that is it from this thrilling encounter where Hyderabad just get the better of Punjab. The action in the Indian T20 League 2024 continues on 10th April, Wednesday when table-toppers Rajasthan take on Gujarat. That match will begin on 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Nitish Kumar Reddy is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his incredible knock and contributions with the ball as well. He says that it is a big contribution for him and for his team. Adds that the seamers were bowling well so he attacked the spinners. Ends by saying that he just want to keep doing well in all three departments for his team.

Pat Cummins, the victorious skipper of Hyderabad says it was a great game of cricket and it got pretty close in the end. Says they (Punjab) bowled pretty good as well and says they were quite happy to get to 180. Adds that Bhuvi and him started off pretty well and mounted the pressure from the get-go. Also says that they have plenty of left-armers and right-armers, and the plan was to just try to bowl to the long boundary. Further says that Nitish was pretty awesome and he was overall fantastic with the ball and also in the field as well.

Shikhar Dhawan, the captain of Punjab says Shashank and Ashutosh brought them back in the game. He says that losing wickets early inside the Powerplay did the damage for them and certainly put them behind the game. States that the wicket wasn't providing the bounce so they had to rethink their strategies and adjust the shots accordingly. Reckons that they could have stopped the opposition well 15-20 runs short and that dropped catch in the last ball of final over proved to be costly. On being asked about Ashutosh and Shashank's heroics, he says they are fearless cricketers and have shown great capability as well. However, there's always a room for improvement and ends up by saying that they will come back stronger in the next game.

Presentation Time...

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is up for a quick chat. He says that it is the beauty of the T20 games. States that the wicket changed a lot in the last few overs. On being asked about that stumping, he says he asked Klaasen to come up to the stumps as there was no movement and Shikhar Dhawan was stepping out of the crease to find boundaries. Adds it was a nail-biting game and good to be on the winning side. Says that it depends on how you prepare and he tries to keep things simple and sticks to the basics. On being asked about Ashutosh's batting, he says it's good to see young talents coming out.

Earlier in the game, Hyderabad huffed and puffed to a good total. A couple of cameos upfront and towards the end helped them but it was mainly because of the fantastic half-century from the youngster Nitish Kumar Reddy. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for Punjab with a magnificent four-wicket haul. Sam Curran and Harshal Patel got a couple of wickets each while Kagiso Rabada chipped in with one. While chasing, Punjab were poor in the Powerplay, but towards the end they got close but had to suffer heartbreak.

Hyderabad, on the other hand, were right on the money with the ball from the start. It was Captain Pat Cummins who provided them with the early breakthrough by getting rid of Jonny Bairstow. That was followed up by a couple of more wickets by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the help of some excellent keeping from Heinrich Klaasen. They kept the runs in check and built pressure which rewarded them with another wicket as T Natarajan got Sam Curran out. Then they let the opponents settle in for a bit but a couple of wickets from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jaydev Unadkat tilted the game towards them. A couple of expensive overs made things closer than they would have hoped but Natarajan bowled a fine 19th over. Jaydev Unadkat conceded the most runs in the 20th over in a run chase, but still, they were able to get the win.

Punjab failed to get off to a good start and their batters looked in a hurry in the Powerplay. Some strange shot selections from them and they were three down inside the six overs with not much on the board. In fact, it was the lowest Powerplay score in this season so far. It was then the duo of Sikandar Raza and Sam Curran who steadied the ship for a bit with a partnership of 38 runs before the latter was dismissed after playing a few lusty blows. Raza then changed gears and took the innings forward along with Shashank Singh but he too perished trying to up the ante. Jitesh Sharma came in a scored a quick-fire 19 off just 11 balls to keep their hopes alive. The match-winning duo from the last game, Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank got together and almost pulled off a thrilling win here with the former scoring 33 of just 15, and the latter smashing 46 off 25. They needed 29 runs in the last over but ended up falling short by a couple of runs.

HYDERABAD WINS A NAIL-BITER HERE! It became too close for comfort in the last over but they only have themselves to blame as they put three catches down with two of those going for maximums. Otherwise, they would have got over the line comfortably. Punjab will be disappointed but that same duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma got them real close to the two points, but in the end, it just wasn't meant to be as they fell short by just two runs.

SIX! SMASHED! But Hyderabad take the game marginally by 2 runs, but what a sensational chase this has been! Jaydev Unadkat offers a juicy half-volley on off, Shashank Singh clears his front foot and hoists it up and over long off for a mighty six. Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, nearly, just nearly did the job yet again for Punjab but they end up on the other side. What a superb game of cricket we have witnessed!

THIRD CATCH PUT DOWN IN THIS OVER! Jaydev Unadkat takes the pace off from the ball and bowls it on a length, Ashutosh Sharma heaves it strongly straight towards deep square leg where Rahul Tripathi settles underneath the ball, but puts an easy catch down. Allows two runs. Jaydev Unadkat just need to ball a legal ball here to wrap up things.

WIDE! 10 off 2 now! Wide of off on a length, Ashutosh Sharma leaves it and the Umpire calls it a Wide. Tensions running high across the ground.

A slower delivery dug into the pitch outside off, Ashutosh Sharma pulls it in front of square. Rahul Tripathi from deep square leg runs to his left and stops it. He throws it to Klaasen who whips the bails but Ashutosh is just home in time. 11 needed off the last couple of balls.

A short delivery into the pitch on off, Ashutosh drags it towards deep square leg and scampers back for the second. 13 needed off the last 3 now.

SIX! Oh, dear! This is a sheer mockery! Another one put down and the result is the same, A SIX! On a length on off, Ashutosh Sharma makes some room for himself before slapping it flatly towards long off where the fielder miscalculates the jump and results in a six as the ball bursts through his hands and goes into the fence.

WIDE! Another extra! The pressure is speaking after that six! Slower short-pitched ball outside off, Ashutosh Sharma aborts to play at it and the Umpire gives it a Wide.

WIDE! Wide of off on a fuller length, this is given as a Wide.