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NEW DELHI: Batters have been in the ascendancy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with sky-high scores and a record run chase but the value of death-overs bowling was clear to see on Thursday (May 2) as Sunrisers Hyderabad claimed a last-ball thriller against Rajasthan Royals.
Teams have breached the 200-mark 31 times this season and Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, twice broke the record for the IPL’s highest total last month.
Electing to bat, Hyderabad posted 201-3 but the table-topping Royals looked primed for their ninth win in 10 matches after opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and middle-order batter Riyan Parag both smashed fifties.
Rajasthan needed just 27 runs from their last three overs with power-hitters Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer in the middle and six wickets in hand.
Hyderabad’s T Natarajan and Cummins sent down identical overs, each conceding seven runs and claiming a wicket, before Bhuvneshwar Kumar stepped up to deliver the final over.
After conceding 11 runs in his first five balls to leave Rajasthan needing two for the win, Kumar trapped Powell lbw with the final delivery to secure a dramatic one-run victory.
“Amazing game, didn’t think we had that one until the last ball,” Cummins said after Hyderabad entered the top four in the 10-team tournament.
The Australia captain was particularly happy bowlers had the last say in the contest.
“It is T20 cricket. You get used to the batters getting teams over the line. When you get to the last over, you do feel anything can happen,” he added.
“Bhuvneshwar just nailed six yorkers pretty much. That last ball, you kind of forget that we could get a wicket. I was thinking of Super Over.”
Kumar, whose 3-41 saw him named player of the match, bowled the last over with one fielder fewer outside the ring because of Rajasthan’s slow over-rate.
“I was just thinking of taking it to the last two balls, and then anything can happen,” he said afterwards.
An effective swing bowler, Kumar dismissed Rajasthan opener Jos Buttler and skipper Sanju Samson in his opening spell.
“It was probably the first match when the ball swung so much … I really enjoyed it.”
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