Sunrisers Hyderabad eliminate the Royal Challengers Bangalore from IPL 2020

Their bowlers’ lion-hearted fight notwithstanding, the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s exit from the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League had an air of inevitability to it. In the second half of the competition, their uninspired batting put humungous responsibility on the bowlers to bail the team out in low-scoring encounters. On Friday in Abu Dhabi, there was no change in the script.

Like a bad rash, the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers were all over RCB as the 2016 champions restricted their opponents to a below-par 131/7. The total was in danger of not crossing 100 but AB de Villiers fought hard for his 56 (43b, 5x4) to help the Challengers avoid an embarrassment in a game as big as the Eliminator.

RCB showed stomach for fight even without their in-form pacer Chris Morris, who sat out injured, by reducing their opponents to 67/4 in the 12th over. But it was that kind of a total which is achievable with just one boundary every over. SRH had the perfect man for such a scenario: Kane Williamson. The gifted Kiwi batsman (50 not out, 44b, 2x4, 2x6) forged an unbroken alliance with Jason Holder (24 n.o., 20b, 3x4) to seal it for SRH.

They took the game deep but they made sure they prevailed by six wickets to face Delhi Daredevils on Sunday in Qualifier 2 for a place in the final. While Williamson brought his experience into play, Holder did justice to his all-rounder’s role, adding crucial runs after an excellent show with the ball (3/25).

Earlier, Virat Kohli (6) suffered a double failure. After losing the toss for the fifth time in a row, the skipper was unable to give RCB a lightning start. The excitement of seeing their star batsman back to the opening position was short-lived for RCB faithful as Kohli lasted just seven balls.

Holder, who got extra bounce from the surface, got the big fish caught behind. Kohli, who walked down, gloved an incoming ball as Sreevats Goswami, replacing the injured Wriddhiman Saha, pouched a good catch down the leg-side. Holder hurt RCB again in his next over. Once again a rising delivery did the trick as Devdutt Padikkal (1) pulled one straight to short-midwicket.

At 15/2, with two of the top scorers of the season back in the hut, RCB were in definite trouble. On a sticky surface, it was hard work for comeback man Aaron Finch (32) and de Villiers. They laboured to a 41-stand.

It is no secret that RCB’s middle-overs-batting has been their biggest weakness this season. Once Sunrisers saw the back of Finch, the writing was on the wall. The horror show included Moeen Ali (0) getting run out off a Free Hit. The final and the most vital blow was when T Natarajan (2/33) knocked the middle stump of de Villiers in the 18th over.

In the end, RCB bowed to the unceasing team-spirit of Sunrisers and their wait for the elusive title continues.