IPL 2022: SRH beat Punjab for fourth straight win

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Punjab Kings by seven wickets in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday.

Punjab were 151 all out after being put in to bat.

Liam Livingstone top-scored for Punjab with 60 off 33 balls.

In response, SRH chased down the target in 18.5 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/22) and Umran Malik (4/28) were the standout bowlers for SRH.

Malik took three wickets and there was also a run out in the 20th over that ended being a maiden.

Umran Malik (4/28) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/22) shared seven wickets between themselves as Sunrisers Hyderabad bowled out Punjab Kings for 151 in their 20 overs at DY Patil Stadium, here on Sunday.

While Kumar set the tone with wickets upfront and at the back end, Malik used his pace and lengths well to bag his maiden four-fer in the tournament, including a fantastic final over where four wickets fell for no run, with a run-out falling on the final ball of the innings.

For Punjab, Liam Livingstone top-scored with 60 in a batting performance where they struggled to get going at the top in absence of regular opener and captain Mayank Agarwal. He also shared a stand of 71 with Shahrukh Khan (26) to lend some respectability to Punjab's total.

Punjab lost openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh in power-play. Dhawan, standing in for an injured Agarwal, never looked at ease after taking a blow on his box in the opening over. The left-hander came down the pitch to pull off Kumar but found mid-on.

Singh hit T Natarajan for back-to-back fours but the left-arm pacer had the last laugh as the batter missed the flick and ball took an inner edge to keeper. Livingstone began by scooping Marco Jansen for a four followed by cover drive for another four and ended power-play with a six scooped by using the pace from the left-arm pacer over fine leg.

Post power-play, Hyderabad made further inroads into Punjab's line-up as Jonny Bairstow was trapped lbw while trying to sweep against Jagadeesha Suchith. Jitesh Sharma hit Malik for two fours but the tearaway pacer had the last laugh as he bounced out Sharma and took the catch off his own bowling.

Amidst wickets falling, Livingstone began his onslaught by using Malik's pace to upper cut over third man in the tenth over. Livingstone further attacked Malik in 12th over, swivelling a six over deep mid-wicket followed by a four thumped down the ground.

Livingstone and Khan struck a six each of Suchith followed by the latter swinging Natarajan over deep square leg to bring half-century of the partnership. Though Natarajan conceded 10 runs in the 16th over, Khan couldn't get any boundaries and in search of it, miscued a short outside off delivery from Kumar to cover.

Though Livingstone and Odean Smith hit a four and six each, Kumar took out the former with a short ball which was sliced straight to cover. Malik then bowled a sensational final over, a four-wicket maiden, including back-to-back bowled wickets to wrap up Punjab's innings at 151.

Brief scores:

Punjab Kings 151 all out in 20 overs (Livingstone 60; Bhuvneshhwar 3/22, Malik 4/28).

SRH 152/3 in 18.5 overs (Pooran 35 not out, Markram 41 not out).

(With IANS Inputs)