IPL 2021, RCB vs SRH Highlights: Sunrisers Hyderabad win by 4 runs

Williamson: Been a tough season but today it was great to see those small improvements, to see those small adjustments. The conditions are challenging and to see the fight and the heart in the second half was great to see. We were trying to maximize the powerplay We knew things wouldn’t happen quickly with the ball today. Nice to dismiss Maxwell – dismissing him one way or another was the thing to be done. To turn up and show the fight when we’re not in contention, was great to see. (On Maxwell) He’s seeing the ball better than anyone in the tournament. He’s hitting them pretty well. 

Umran malik is certainly special. We’ve seen him in the nets for a couple of seasons and it’s a great opportunity for him and it’s not surprising to see him do well. He’s been a really valuable addition to the side. It’s been a challenging season and these are great opportunities for the youngsters. We’ve had a lot of last over finishes and being on the right side of those is clearly helpful. But one thing tonight is it was satisfying for the group.

Kane Williamson is named the Man of the Match for his all round effort – 31 off 29, brilliant captaincy and run out of Glenn Maxwell.

Virat Kohli: “The intent has to be to get it done as soon as possible, you don’t want to stretch such matches too deep. But having lost a couple of early wickets, I think rebuilding was key, which Devdutt and Maxwell did well for us. Maxwell’s run out was probably the game-changing moment in terms of momentum, because we’d pulled things back nicely at the time, and Maxwell was in the zone. It’s a game of small margins, I think we were good with the ball but not as effective with the bat.

Shahbaz played a crucial knock at that stage, switched the momentum around and pulled us back into the game. Things could have gone anywhere from there, and I think Hyderabad held their nerve and bowled out their final few overs very well.

Yuzi is bowling really well, he’s really worked on it. Him bowling well has always been a good sign for the team.

This tournament unearths new talent every year. It’s good to see a guy like Umran Malik bowling at 150 kph. The pool of fast bowlers being strong is good for Indian cricket. You need to nurture the talent, and make sure you maximise their potential.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad win by 4 runs!

After 20 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 137/6 ( AB de Villiers 19 , George Garton 2)

Bhuvi with the last over. RCB need 13 runs from 6 balls. Dot, single and dot to begin lovely tight bowling from Bhuvi and good fielding. Oh no, scratch that, it’s big, and it’s hit straight down the ground by de Villiers for SIX!! What a hit under pressure! Wide full toss, what a ball! It’s a dot. Six needed off the final ball. De Villiers on strike. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bowl. This is pure drama. He connects, but it’s not long enough!! What a final over from Bhuvi, and Sunrisers win by 4 runs!

After 19 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 129/6 ( AB de Villiers 12 , George Garton 1)

​Jason Holder gets the penultimate over. OH NO! Holder almost had a wicket there, but Bhuvi drops a comfortable catch at sweeper cover! RCB’s batters run two. Two more for them, this one hit right past Williamson at midwicket. Wide. Oh no, it’s not, umpire reckons he’d made a move already. OUT!! Shahbaz is taken at midwicket! He tried to whack it, but ended up toe-ending it to Williamson at midwicket! Good safe catch from the skipper, and a few yards away, Bhuvneshwar Kumar breathes a sigh of relief.

OUT! Shahbaz tries the pull but gets the toe edge and hits it straight to Williamson. Shahbaz Ahmed c Williamson b Holder 14 (9 balls)

After 18 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 124/5 ( AB de Villiers 12 , Shahbaz Ahmed 10)

Umran Malik’s last over now. He’ll be under serious pressure now. First ball is quick and short, and it’s sent racing away to the boundary ropes by Shahbaz with the pull. Dot and single follow. Another well-run single. OH WOW, SHAHBAZ HAS JUST SLOTTED IN PERFECTLY! It’s sent to deep backward point for four! Single to end the over, 11 from it. RCB need 18 runs in 12 balls

FOUR! Shahbaz gets down on one knee and opens the face!

FOUR! Pulled away for four by Shahbaz!

After 17 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 113/5 ( AB de Villiers 11 , Shahbaz Ahmed 0)

Rashid’s final over, AB de Villiers sweeps and then takes a single. We’re heading for a tight finish by the looks of it. Oh, exceptional fielding from Jason Roy to prevent a boundary to the left of sweeper cover. Back to back singles and then a wicket! Rashid Khan is so so dangerous, and he finally strikes! Wonderful catch from Samad as well, it’s whacked to deep midwicket by Padikkal and the SRH fielder takes a running catch. De Villiers then hits a boundary with the reverse sweep on the final ball, 29 needed from 18.

Four! Very nice reverse sweep from AB de Villiers, it’s perfectly timed

OUT! The settled man Devdutt Padikkal departs, after hitting to Samad! Devdutt Padikkal c Abdul Samad b Rashid Khan 41 (52 balls)

After 16 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 104/4 ( Devdutt Padikkal 38 , AB de Villiers 5)

Kaul to Padikkal, dot ball. Oh, another very tight single, and this time RCB get away with it, the throw misses the wicket. Single for de Villiers, and then one for Padikkal. AB de Villiers then mistimes a slice to sweeper’s right, but it lands safely. They run two, and then end the over with a single.

After 15 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 98/4 ( Devdutt Padikkal 36 , AB de Villiers 1)

Rashid’s third over now, his first two have cost 24. Can he make up for that with a wicket? OH MY WORDDDD! Kane Williamson, take a bow! Padikkal pushes it out to extra cover, and then sprints off for a single. Williamson is there though, and he executes a terrific airborne throw to nail the wickets and send a stranded Glenn Maxwell back to the dugout. Very nicely done, one for the highlight reel. AB de Villiers off the mark with a single. Dot and then a very nicely executed reverse sweep from Padikkal is sent to the boundary! Rashid then takes a catch off Padikkal, but a review proves that he hit it into the ground first. Single to end the over.

FOUR! Reverse sweep past point from Devdutt Padikkal

OUT! All the work of Kane Williamson, he gets the run out with wonderful fielding! Glenn Maxwell run out Williamson 40 (25 balls)

After 14 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 92/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 31 , Glenn Maxwell 40)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s third over now. He starts with a dot ball. Kane Williamson will be praying for a wicket. Single, Maxwell off strike. Bhuvi misses his length, it’s a full toss at hip height and it’s flicked away for a single. Well run double from Maxwell, he’s been pushing hard for these. Oof, Maxwell hammers it low and hard down the ground, and it flicks off Bhuvi before narrowly missing the umpire. Just a single. Another single to end the over, RCB now need 50 from 36.

After 13 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 86/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 29 , Glenn Maxwell 36)

Holder on in place of Malik. Slower ball, just a single. Wide, that one cut across Maxwell, who tried to pull but couldn’t make contact. Stroke of luck for Maxwell, huge inside edge and it zips off to the boundary for four. Holder looks heartbroken, but to be fair he did hit a boundary or two in the exact same way a short while ago. Three singles follow. Dot to end.

FOUR! Big inside edge, that’s a boundary!

After 12 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 77/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 27 , Glenn Maxwell 30)

Siddarth Kaul will continue, he’s had one wonderful over, and one that was slightly expensive. What’s this one going to be like? Dot to begin, fired into Maxwell’s body. Maxwell then hits a belting boundary, it’s spanked over midwicket for four. He’s looking very dangerous here, and SRH would do well to send him back to the dugout. Padikkal meanwhile has well and truly dug himself in, he’s intent on seeing this through. Dot and two singles follow. Good switch-up on the final ball, short and wide and Maxwell completely misses it.

FOUR! Maxwell continues his bludgeoning, it’s hammered between mid-wicket and long-on!

After 11 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 71/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 26 , Glenn Maxwell 25)

Malik to come charging in once again for a third over. Dot to begin. Padikkal whacks a wider delivery to sweeper cover, but just a single. Maxwell runs a quick single. He’s been running so well. Oh well bowled! 138kph, and he hits the seam perfectly, moves past the outside edge. Shorter, rising delivery, it’s pushed away for a single. Another good delivery, short and quick, very quick. Maxwell awkwardly swats it away for a single, he didn’t know a whole lot about that and had the fielding set up been different, he could easily have been caught there.

After 10 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 67/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 24 , Glenn Maxwell 23)

Brilliant batting from Maxwell. Padikkal takes a single off the first ball. Maxwell then lofts a googly over long on for a six. After a dot, Maxwell gets down and swings it in the gap to deep square leg for a four. He then clips a couple to the leg side and scampers through for a quick couple of twos. 15 runs off the Rashid Khan over. This is Maxwell at his best.

After 9 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 52/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 23 , Glenn Maxwell 9)

Malik continues. Dot, and then a shot that appeared to be heading for four, courtesy of a Padikkal clip, but some athletic fielding from Siddarth Kaul saves two runs on the boundary rope. Dot ball, that was 151.9kph! Single, and it brings up the fifty-run mark for RCB. Quickly-run double. Malik is just captivating at the moment. Dot to end the over. We head into a timeout

After 8 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 47/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 20 , Glenn Maxwell 7)

Spin now, time for Rashid. Begins with a dot, followed by a single. Glenn Maxwell then steps up and does what he does best, hammers it for SIX! It’s a good length ball, and he swings his arms effortlessly to dipatch it over deep midwicket! Dot and two singles to end the over.

SIX! Huuuuuge from Maxwell, smashed over deep mid!

After 7 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 38/3 ( Devdutt Padikkal 18 , Glenn Maxwell 0)

Umran Malik to bowl now, and after his exploits in the previous match, everyone’s likely expecting something special from the bowler. He concedes only one run in the first four balls, and then strikes to remove Bharat! It’s going across Bharat, who tries the pull, but the sheer pace of the delivery means it’s already almost past his bat by the time he’s moved. He gets a faint glance on it, and it carries into the welcoming hands of Wriddhiman Saha! Dot to end the over

OUT! Srikar Bharat tried to pull that, but the pace was a little too much, and ends up only getting a faint edge on it, which carries through to Wriddhiman Saha. Srikar Bharat c Saha b Umran Malik 12 (10 balls)

After 6 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 37/2 ( Devdutt Padikkal 17 , Srikar Bharat (W) 12)

Siddarth to bowl the last over of the powerplay. Dot and single to begin. Oh, beautifully bowled. Very well disguised slower delivery, and Padikkal completely miscues it. Single off the fourth ball. Kaul has been very miserly so far, but Srikar Bharat isn’t having any of it, he reads the next delivery to a t and hammers it down the ground for six! Bharat then pulls to midwicket on the final ball of the over, and the ball races away to the boundary line.

FOUR! Bharat pulls it to deep midwicket!

SIX!! Straight down the ground from Bharat!

After 5 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 25/2 ( Devdutt Padikkal 16 , Srikar Bharat (W) 1)

Holder now, starts off with a dot, a single and another dot. Padikkal then does well to flick it to fine leg for four! Not a great delivery that. A single and a leg bye to end the over. This won’t be how RCB envisioned themselves beginning the chase, but they still have enough firepower left to get there.

FOUR! Padikkal flicks it to fine leg!

After 4 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 18/2 ( Devdutt Padikkal 11 , Srikar Bharat (W) 0)

Siddarth Kaul replaces Jason Holder. Slower delivery to start us off, dot. KAUL STRIKES! It’s another slower one, and Christian awkwardly lifting it up and into the hands of Kane Williamson at mid-off. Four dot balls in a row to end the over, that’s a lovely over from Kaul.

OUT! Awkward slower delivery and Christian hits it into the hands of Kane Williamson at mid-off. Dan Christian c Williamson b Kaul 1 (4 balls)

After 3 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 18/1 ( Devdutt Padikkal 11 , Dan Christian 1)

Bhuvneshwar continues, and it’s a cracking cover drive from Dan Christian, but it’s stopped at cover-point. Bit of a wild swing from Christian on the next delivery, and it’s sent in the direction of third man, but it bounces beore reaching him. Single. Padikkal on strike, and he has another boundary! It’s punched down, and it races away for four past mid-off. He timed that one to perfection. Three dots to end the over.

FOUR! Padikkal punches the ball down to beat mid-off

After 2 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 13/1 ( Devdutt Padikkal 7 , Dan Christian 0)

Jason Holder to bowl now. Starts with a dot, before Padikkal throws his bat at a wider delivery and hits it over point. Dot ball to follow. Ooh, back to back close calls for RCB. The first one is hit high up into the air by Padikkal, and it manages to land just between three fielders. Big slice of luck for the batter. Then a huge call for caught behind. Williamson reviews after some vociferous appealing from Holder, but there’s nothing there, in fact it’s a wide, because it went right past Padikkal without touching anything. SRH lose a review. Two dot balls to end the over.

FOUR! It’s slashed to deep point by Padikkal, lovely stuff!

After 1 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 6/1 ( Devdutt Padikkal 1 , )

Alright then, Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets us underway, and he’ll be bowling to the established opening duo of Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. OOOH! What a start, Virat Kohli smashes to to the left of mid-off for four, that’s an exquisite cover drive! Two singles and two dots follow, before Kohli sent back to the dressing room! What an anti climax, he began the over on such a positive note, but he’s been bamboozled by a delivery that’s swerving into him, and it catches him square on the pad. LBW!

OUT! LBW and Virat Kohli’s a goner! Virat Kohli lbw b Kumar 5 (4 balls)

FOUR! Virat Kohli clubs away the first ball for four!

After 20 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 141/7 ( Rashid Khan 7 , )

RCB restrict SRH to 141/7! A brilliant final over punctuated by Yorkers and slower balls. Holder survives a run out chance off the first ball as he digs a yorker to point and scampers through for a non-existent single. Kohli misses his direct hit at non-striker’s end as Holder wasn’t even in the frame. They run through for a second on the over throw. Patel then beats Holder’s swing on the slower one. Holder then takes a single to long off. Rashid then smacks one straight back, it hits the stumps, Harshal Patel then collects the ball and breaks the stumps as Holder is sent back, there is an appeal for a run out but replays show Holder has made it back. Harshal then bowls a high full toss which Holder ducks under, it’s called a NO BALL! Rashid whips the low full toss straight into the hands of the deep mid-wicket fielder. They run through for a single. Holder then holes out to long on off the last ball. 5 runs and a wicket off the over.

OUT! Harshal gets Holder off the final ball! Holder looks to swing it downtown, gets done in by the change of pace. It’s that slower ball, Holder ends up miscuing it to long on where the fielder pouches it safely.

After 19 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 136/6 ( Jason Holder 13 , Rashid Khan 6)

Good comeback in that over from Siraj. He started off with a dot but then bowled a short and wide delivery which Rashid slashed away over backward point for four. Siraj then changed his pace well and gave away just two singles off the next four balls. 6 runs off the over.

FOUR! Nicely placed. Short and wide outside off from Siraj. Rashid Khan slashes it over backward point.

Siraj back on.

After 18 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 130/6 ( Jason Holder 12 , Rashid Khan 1)

A brilliant over from Harshal Patel. He was unlucky the first ball as an inside edge whizzed wide of the stumps off a slower ball. He had his man the next ball as Saha miscued another slower one to long off. After a couple of singles, Harshal again got unlucky as Holder’s inside edge ran past short fine leg fielder for a streaky four. He finishes off with a yorker which Holder digs out. 10 runs off the over and the wicket of Saha off it.

FOUR! Harshal unlucky again! Holder looks to steer one to third man but gets an inside edge off the slower one wide of short fine leg.

FOUR and OUT! Harshal was unlucky with the first slower one, it foxed Saha, who got an inside edge on his drive, it whizzed wide of the stumps to fine leg for a streaky four. Saha then looked to loft one over long off but is done in by the slower one again. He ends up mistiming it to long off where the fielder makes no mistake.

After 17 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 120/5 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 6 , Jason Holder 7)

A decent over from Christian. He bowled a bad delivery which was on the pads and Holder trickled to fine leg for four. Christian then varied his pace well and corrected his line to give way just two singles off the last four balls. 7 runs off the over.

FOUR! Poor line, on the pads from Christian, Holder clips it fine to fine leg and it races away.

After 16 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 113/5 ( Wriddhiman Saha (W) 4 , Jason Holder 2)

A brilliant over from Chahal. And it was a fantastic review off the first ball which got him the wicket of Samad off the first ball. He bowled stump to stump and varied it well. There was a googly as well. And he got a hint of turn as well. Three singles and a two made it 6 off the over.

OUT! Great review from RCB!  Another one bites the dust! It’s flighted on middle and leg, turning away. Samad gets down for a slog sweep but misses and gets hit on the back leg. They go up in an appeal for an LBW but the umpire turns it down. Kohli opts for a review and replays show it was hitting middle and leg. Three REDS. Samad departs.

After 15 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 107/4 ( Abdul Samad 1 , )

A successful over from Christian. He got the wicket of Garg off a slightly short length delivery, off the first ball. And then gives away just two singles off the next four balls before pouching a brilliant return catch which was hit with brute force, off a slower ball. 2 runs and two wickets off the over.

OUT! Brilliant reflexes from Christian! It’s that slower ball outside off, Roy waits and waits and then smacks it straight back, Christian shows great reflexes to get a hand to it, juggles and manages to hold on to it. It was hit very hard.

OUT! Garg departs. It’s slightl back of length outside off, Garg looks to come down the track and swing across the line, doesn’t get it off the middle and helps it straight into the hands of the fielder at deep mid-wicket.

After 14 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 105/2 ( Jason Roy 43 , Priyam Garg 15)

Good comeback in that over from Chahal. Garg him for a six off the first ball but then he varied his pace well and gave away just three singles off the next five balls. There was an appeal for a catch as well as Roy looked to reverse sweep, it was given out by the umpire but overturned on review. 9 runs off the over.

NOT OUT! Roy goes for a reverse sweep but it seems to hit his arm and pop to the keeper. RCB appeal for a catch and the umpire lifts the finger. Roy straightaway reviews and replays show it indeed missed the gloves and hit his arm.

SIX! Just over. Garg charges down and looks to go downtown, doesn’t quite get it off the middle and it sails just over the leaping Christian at long on.

After 13 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 96/2 ( Jason Roy 42 , Priyam Garg 7)

There were a couple bad deliveries in that over. Both on the pads, Roy flicked it straight to the short fine leg fielder and Garg too clipped one to short fine leg for just a single.The rest were mostly accurate. Garg guided one wide of third man for a couple. Three more singles made it 5 from the over.

Daniel Christian into the attack now…

After 12 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 91/2 ( Jason Roy 41 , Priyam Garg 3)

A successful over for RCB! Harshal got the wicket of Williamson in that over. Roy has another heart in mouth moment in that over. Harshal foxes him with a slower one, Roy gives himself room and looks to loft it over covers but miscues it well short of the long on fielder. Williamson then puts away a high full toss to the leg side for a quick two. Harshal then foxes Williamson with the slower one and unlike Roy, who was lucky, he ends up gettin the wicket of Williamson as the ball clatters onto the stump. Patel then errs in line a little bit, he overpitches first up to Garg who drives it through covers for a couple A single follows before Harshal drifts it onto Roy’s pads who clips it to fine leg for four to end the over. 10 runs and a wicket off the over.

FOUR! Poor delivery to end the over from Harshal. On the pads, Roy trickles it to fine leg.

OUT! That slower ball does the trick. It’s the off cutter outside off from Harshal, Williamson looks to loft it over the off side but is early into the shot as he’s done in by the change of pace. He gets a slight inside edge as the ball crashes onto the stumps.

After 11 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 81/1 ( Jason Roy 36 , Kane Williamson (C) 29)

A good over from Shahbaz Ahmed. Again his accuracy stands out. He was on and around that off stump on the length area. Roy looked to reverse sweep one but couldn’t connect it off the middle, got a single to short third man. 5 singles off the over.

Shahbaz Ahmed continues….

After 10 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 76/1 ( Jason Roy 33 , Kane Williamson (C) 27)

Chahal didn’t quite get his lines right there. He started off giving a bit of width and Roy powered it through backward point for a four. The next one is short, Roy pulled it to deep mid-wicket for a couple. After a dot, Roy flicks a couple wide of long on for a couple of twos. He then pushes one to long on for a single. Chahal ends with a dot but still concedes 9 off the over.

FOUR! A touch wide outside off, Roy rocks back and cuts it through backward point.

Chahal continues…

After 9 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 67/1 ( Jason Roy 24 , Kane Williamson (C) 27)

Some heart in mouth moments for Roy in that over. He went for a big one with a swipe across the line but got an outside edge high in the air which fell in no man’s land. Williamson then pushed one to cover and scampered through for a single, the fielder misses a direct hit. It was close had that hit. Roy then goes for a cut but gets an outside edge which falls short of the short third man fielder. 6 runs off the over.

Shahbaz Ahmed continues…

After 8 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 61/1 ( Jason Roy 22 , Kane Williamson (C) 23)

A very good start from Chahal. He flighted them well and mixed them up well. Got some turn as well. Williamson took a couple of steps down the wicket but missed the googly and got hit on the pad. A stifled LBW appeal is turned down by the umpire. Williamson paddled one to fine leg for a couple. There was just one single off the final ball which made it 3 off the over.

Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack now…

Shahbaz continues….

After 7 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 58/1 ( Jason Roy 22 , Kane Williamson (C) 20)

Harshal was a bit awry to start off. The first one is wide and Roy drives it through covers for a couple. The next one is short, Roy thumps it through mid-wicket for four. Harshal then varies his pace well and gives away just two singles off the next three balls. There was one slower ball which Roy looked to flick but it dipped on him and he got a bottom edge into the ground. 8 runs off the over.

FOUR! Thumped! Short outside off, from Patel, Roy pulls it off the front foot through mid-wicket.

Harshal Patel into the attack now…

After 6 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 50/1 ( Jason Roy 15 , Kane Williamson (C) 19)

There was one bad delivery in that over and it got put away for four, by Jason Roy. It was short and Roy was quick on his pull. Shahbaz was largely disciplined with the other deliveries and gave away just three singles off the other five deliveries. 7 off the over.

FOUR! Poor delivery, Short from Ahmed, Roy rocks back and pulls it through mid-wicket.

Shahbaz Ahmed continues

After 5 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 43/1 ( Jason Roy 9 , Kane Williamson (C) 18)

A massive over for SRH. Garton didn’t get his line and length right. There were a couple of WIDES  down the leg side. A low full toss is put away for four. An overpitched delivery is driven for four through extra cover by Williamson and one on pads is clipped away for the third four of the over, by Williamson. 17 off the over.

FOUR! On the pads from Garton, Williamson clips it wide of short fine leg, it races away to the fence. Brilliant timing.

FOUR! Gorgeous! Overpitched outside off from Garton, Williamson drives it through extra cover. It just races away.

FOUR! A one-handed shot. It’s a low full toss outside off, Roy drives but his one hand comes off the bat. He still has enough power behind it to race through to the fence.

After 4 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 26/1 ( Jason Roy 3 , Kane Williamson (C) 9)

A disciplined over from Shahbaz Ahmed. He bowled in and around that off stump. Kept it tight. Bowled three dot balls and gave away just three singles.

Shahbaz Ahmed into the attack now…

After 3 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 23/1 ( Jason Roy 1 , Kane Williamson (C) 8)

Williamson getting into the groove. Siraj started off with a WIDE down the leg side. But then corrected his lines. Williamson got an inside edge off the next two balls, one on the thigh pad and next to the leg side but no run. Williamson then leant into a lovely cover drive for four and followed it with a pull shot for another four a ball later. 9 runs off the over.

FOUR! Cracked! Short on off from Siraj, Williamson pulls it over square leg.

FOUR! Lovely from Williamson, it’s overpitched outside off from Siraj. Williamson leans forward and drives it through covers.

Siraj continues….

After 2 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 15/1 ( Jason Roy 1 , Kane Williamson (C) 0)

A wicket in the powerplay at last for RCB in the second leg. An eventful over that from Garton. The first two balls as hit for a four and a six. The next one is a dot. Sharma is then dropped by Siraj at long leg but Garton has his man the next ball as Sharma is caught at mid on. Garton bowls a dot to complete the over. 12 runs and a wicket off it.

DROPPED and then OUT! An eventful couple of balls! Sharma gets a life. It’s on the pads, Sharma is into his flick early, it catches the toe end of the bat and goes high up in the air, Siraj at long leg seems to misjudge it, looks to go for it at the last moment with the dive but doesn’t manage to hold on.

Sharma then goes for a similar uppish flick off the next ball, he again ends up getting the toe end of the bat high in the air. Maxwell at mid on settles under it and makes no mistake.

FOUR and SIX! The first one is a low full toss, Sharma flicks it over mid-wicket. The next one is in the slot outside off, Sharma lofts it over long off.

Garton to bowl from the other end…

After 1 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 2/0 ( Jason Roy 1 , Abhishek Sharma 1)

Good start from Siraj. He ramps up decent pace in that over. There was good carry as well. Roy gets off the mark straightaway as he tucks the first one to the leg side for a single. Sharma then leaves alone a couple of deliveries outside off and then defends a straight one back to the bowler. The next one is a touch wide, Sharma punches it but straight to the fielder at cover. The last one too would have been a dot but the covers fielder follows up with a needless throw, it ricoches off the stumps and they got a single. Just 2 runs off the over.

Right then! The SRH openers – Jason Roy and surprise, surprise…Abhishek Sharma are out in the middle. Siraj will start off proceedings for RCB.

SRH XI: Jason Roy, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Umran Malik

RCB XI: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Daniel Christian, Shahbaz Ahmed, George Garton, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Both RCB and SRH have gone unchanged!

TOSS – Virat Kohli has won the toss and RCB will bowl first.

‘Overhead conditions are superb – this is the driest pitch we have had, there are cracks developing, we have had hot weather and dry winds, this could help cutters and spinners a bit more. Variations are the key, you’ll get more grip,’ – Nick Knight with the pitch report.

KKR, MI in contention for fourth playoff spot with PBKS, RR virtually out

Click  here  to check out all the playoff scenarios in play that could see some serious drama go down on the final day of the league stages.

The Maxwell vs Rashid Khan battle will be fascinating to watch in case it does happen. Maxwell has scored 407 runs at an average of 40.70 in the IPL so far at a SR of 142.05. He is the in-form player and a vital cog in that RCB batting line-up.

The big stars are performing for RCB. Kohli has been providing them with brisk starts along with Devdutt Padikkal. While Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers have been winning the middle and death overs battle against the opposition. Kohli would look to get a big one under his belt ahead of the play-offs.

RCB will be looking to push for that top two finish as they are placed in third place. RCB have two games in hand. They are on 16 points. DC are on top with 20 points with one game in hand while CSK are second on 18 points with one game in hand. A win here for RCB will put pressure on CSK. And if CSK lost their last match and RCB win their final match, it will propel RCB to the second spot. DC and CSK have a much better run rate than RCB so RCB need to win their last two and hope CSK loses their last match. SRH, on the other hand, are out of the reckoning and will be looking to play for pride and build for the future.

Hello and welcome to the coverage of the 52nd match of IPL 2021 between RCB and SRH. Match starts at 7.30 pm IST with the toss taking place at 7 pm IST. Follow this space for live scores and updates.