5 factors that shaped SRH's 1-run win over RR

Head, Nitish compensate for the slow start

Sunrisers Hyderabad was sinking when Nitish Reddy joined Travis Head in the middle at 35/2 in 5.1 overs. The duo weathered the storm first but took off in the ninth over. They added 96 off 57 balls for the third wicket. Head scored 58 off 44 balls while Nitish carried onto post an unbeaten 76 off 42 deliveries. 

Big finish from Nitish and Klaasen

After Head’s departure in the 15th over, Nitish paired up with Heinrich Klaasen to add 70 runs in the final five overs. Klaasen batted at a strike rate of 221.1, scoring 42 off 19 balls. 70 is the most runs conceded by Rajasthan Royals in the death overs while bowling first this season. 

Off day for Chahal

The most prolific wicket-taker in the tournament’s history, Yuzvendra Chahal went for the most expensive spell of his IPL career, conceding 0/62 in his four overs. First, Head took him down in the ninth over, smashing two sixes. Later, Nitish Reddy fancied his chances against the leg-spinner, hitting him for two sixes in the 13th over. Klaasen added two more to his tally in the 17th over.

The last time Chahal conceded these many sixes in an IPL match was in 2015 versus Mumbai Indians. 

Jaiswal, Parag put RR in front

Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson in the first over for a duck each. When it seemed that RR would surrender in the chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Paran carried the innings with a 134-run stand from 78 deliveries. RR seemed to be cruising as long as they were in the middle. 

When Parag was out in the 16th over, after Jaiswal’s dismissal in the 14th, RR needed 43 to win from 25 deliveries with six wickets in hand. 

But SRH & Bhuvi pull things back

16th over, bowled by Pat Cummins: 3 runs, 1 wicket

17th over, bowled by Marco Jansen: 15 runs

18th over, bowled by T Natarajan: 7 runs, 1 wicket

19th over, bowled by Pat Cummins: 7 runs, 1 wicket

20th over, bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 11 runs, 1 wicket

Pat Cummins allowed only 10 runs in his final two overs at the death, picking the wickets of Parag and Dhruv Jurel. Natarajan dismissed Shimron Hetmyer off a low full toss after conceding a 106-metre six. 

However, Bhuvneshwar was the star in the final over. He dismantled RR at the top, nabbing two of their top three run-scorers in the first over. In the final over, defending 13, Bhuvi targetted the yorker every single delivery. Rovman Powell tucked them into the gaps to find a boundary and a few 2s. 

However, needing two on the final ball, Powell missed a low full toss from the right-arm seamer to be adjudged leg before wicket. RR suffered their first loss while chasing this season, losing the clash by 1 run.

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