We are back for the all-important run chase to commence!
... The Run Chase ...
Right then, it's just another opposition in the form of Delhi with the daunting task of chasing a mammoth total of 267. Their openers will aim to get on the top gear from the get-go and they do pose requisite firepower with David Warner back in the ranks. Hyderabad on the other hand will try to improve their bowling performance this time and contain the batters successfully. Stay tuned as the run chase is up next.
Abhishek Sharma is in for a chat. He says that they targeted more than what they got in the Powerplay but he is happy with the team. Mentions that the message was to assess the wicket but Travis Head did really well. Adds that it has been a pleasure from day one to bat with him. Shares that they are lucky to have Head in their team. Tells that having Head at the other end, takes pressure off him and allows him to bat with freedom.Â
On the flip side, the Delhi bowlers found themselves in the crosshairs of the Hyderabad onslaught and were mercilessly sent on a leather hunt. Truth be told, the seamers seemed to lose their way, scattering deliveries all over the pitch and providing the batters with ample room to swing their bats freely. Amidst the relentless assault on the seamers, Rishabh Pant made a strategic move, entrusting Kuldeep Yadav, who rose to the occasion magnificently. Against the relentless pace of the game, Kul
Once again, the electrifying pair of southpaw openers from Hyderabad set the stadium ablaze with their explosive batting right from the word go. Travis Head didn't just start, he rocketed to a fifty in an eye-popping 16 deliveries, matching Abhishek Sharma's record-breaking pace. In a whirlwind of action, the first six overs witnessed the annihilation of records. But that was just the beginning. Hyderabad blazed through to a century in a mind-blowing 5 overs, smashing the record for the fastest
They did it at Hyderabad, they did it at Chinnaswamy, and they did it here at New Delhi. It's almost as if Hyderabad has made rewriting record books a normalcy, effortlessly smashing past the 250-run mark with flair and fluency with the bat, leaving opponents in shock. The attack remained identical, with only the venue changed. 22 towering maximums, equalling their own record of most sixes hit in an innings in the Indian T20 League.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BANG! A tough shot but Shahbaz Ahmed made it look so easy there. Mukesh Kumar errs slightly while going for the yorker and it comes out as a low full toss, Shahbaz Ahmed crouches to make the connection. Picks it up well and hits it flat and over the deep mid-wicket fence for a maximum.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Hit straight as an arrow and that will be the maiden Indian T20 League FIFTY for Shahbaz Ahmed!
Washington Sundar, the Imapct Sub for Hyderabad for Travis Head, is in at number 9. Can Hyderabad get past 260? Let's see...
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! RUN OUT! They go for the second run but Pat Cummins cannot make it!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Not where he intended but he will take it! Slower and fuller, angling in, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg and goes for a heave across the line. Gets a thickish outside edge that goes over short third for a boundary. Moves to 48 does Shahbaz.
Mukesh Kumar to Pat Cummins, On a yorker length, on middle, Pat Cummins knocks it down to long on for a single.
Pat Cummins, the skipper walks in at number 8. Can he too, play a good cameo here? Let's find out.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! c Anrich Nortje b Mukesh Kumar.
It's Mukesh Kumar to bowl the final over of the first innings.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Khaleel Ahmed changes the angle but it does not matter one bit! Comes from around the wicket and bowls it on a length, on the pads, Shahbaz Ahmed swipes across the line and goes behind square on the leg side for a maximum. What started as a quiet over has ended as an expensive one. 250 comes up for Hyderabad.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BOOM! In the arc and out of the park! Khaleel gets the line wrong and also the length. Serves it right in the slot, on middle and leg, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg out and smacks it over wide long on for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Bye! Another one that goes across the batter, slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad looks to play at it but misses. The ball lands in front of Rishabh Pant and he fails to read the bounce. Gets hit on the right index finger and the ball rolls behind for a bye.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, ! Stand and deliver stuff! Khaleel persists with the pace-off delivery, on a length, around off, Abdul Samad holds his shape and waits for the ball to arrive. Gets it from the middle of the bat and it goes into the stands towards deep mid-wicket.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Well bowled! Another off-pace delivery, on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad hangs back and goes for a hoick across the line but connects with thin air.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, Takes pace off and goes into the wicket, outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed drags the pull to long on for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Three perfect yorkers to get out of the over by Mukesh. Goes across the batter again, outside off, Abdul Samad swings to go through the off side but the ball creeps under the bat and goes through to the keeper. Abdul Samad takes the review for wide not given. However, the replays show that the ball was just inside the wide tramline. Hyderabad have lost both their reviews.
Khaleel Ahmed (2-0-32-0) is back into the attack.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Another well-executed yorker by Mukesh, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed knocks it to wide long off for a run.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Nails the wide yorker does Mukesh, going across the batter from around the wicket, Abdul Samad drills it down to long off for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Mukesh comes from around the wicket and goes searching for the yorker. It comes out as a high full toss, at the batter, Abdul Samad has a swipe across the line. Mistimes it but gets it over mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! Hit with brute force! Mukesh looks to go full but allows Samad to get underneath it, outside off, Abdul Samad winds up and smacks it hard between mid off and cover for his first boundary.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Lands it on a length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it square to deep point for a single.
Abdul Samad is in at number 7. Mukesh Kumar (2-0-32-0) replaces Anrich Nortje.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Kuldeep Yadav has the last laugh! Strikes on his last ball of the spell and it is a timely breakthrough for Delhi.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Loops it up does Kuldeep, on a fullish length, on middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses his feet and drives it on the full to the right of long on for a couple of runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! My my! Look at those quick hands! Kuldeep Yadav fires it in, on a nagging length, on the off-stump line, Nitish Kumar Reddy premeditates and shapes for the switch hit. Executes it to perfection and hits it over the deep third fence for a maximum.Â
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Good placement! Short and on midde and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses the depth of the crease and places it between deep mid-wicket and long on, which allows him to come back for the second run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dishes out the googly and bowls it full, gets it to spin away, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy presses forward and leaves the ball alone.
Kuldeep Yadav to Shahbaz Ahmed, Bowls it flat and short, near the wide guideline on off, Shahbaz Ahmed reaches out and slaps it through covers for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a nagging length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on top of the bounce and punches it to deep point. Retains the strike with a single. A tidy over by Nortje, just the 5 runs off it.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims it at the stumps, on a good length, Shahbaz Ahmed angles his bat face and drives it wide of cover for a couple of runs.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Sharp bumper! Nortje bends his back and bangs it into the deck, over the left shoulder of the batter, Shahbaz Ahmed gets inside the line of the ball to pull it away fine on the leg side. He misses to connect and takes the review as he feels that the ball went over his head. The third umpire reckons that Shahbaz had bent and had he been in his normal standing position, the ball would have passed below head height. The decision of dot has been upheld.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! A valiant attempt though by Axar Patel! Nortje digs it in short, at the body of the batter, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets rushed into the pull shot and it lobs off the upper half of the bat. Axar at mid-wicket sprints sideways to his right and stretches out his right hand but the ball brushes his finger tips and rolls away for a single.
Halt! That must have hurt him! Nitish Kumar Reddy is down on the ground in pain as he gets pinged on the groin area. The physio is out to the middle in no time to check him up.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ouch, that has hit Nitish Kumar Reddy on the box!
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Good stop! Angling across the batter, on a hard length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed glides it down to deep third where Khaleel Ahmed covers good ground and slides to his right to keep it down to just a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Short, wide of off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it to long off for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! 200 up for Hyderabad. Full in length, at the leg stump, Shahbaz Ahmed gets down on his knee and sweeps it behind the square for a six. The ball sails over fine leg boundary with ease.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brings the angle with the arm on the middle and leg stump line, keeps the length identical, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Nitish looks for another run but Abishek Porel does well with a good throw to Axar Patel at the bowling end.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Arm ball on the off stump line, on a shorter length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it in front of point and sets off for a single. Good running.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, A perfect yorker on the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy somehow jams his bat down in time and inside edges on the pads. Mukesh Kumar collects the ball to end the over.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims the woods on a fuller length, Shahbaz Ahmed gets ahead, opens the face of the bat toward cover-point for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Length ball on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Effortless and beautiful wrist work at display!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, A low full toss from around the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pushes it through covers for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard, just around off, Nitish Kumar Reddy cuts it front of the square for a single.
Strategic break!
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, on the pads, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to end the over.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! One bounce and into the fence. Not that short from Axar, on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy rocks back and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full in length now, at the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy lunges ahead an drives it to long on for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Across off on a short length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it through point for a single.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the stumps, on off, full in length, Nitish Kumar Reddy leans on the ball and chips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bowls it on a hard length, just on off and middle, Nitish Kumar Reddy turns it towards long on for an easy single to end the over. 13 runs from it.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the wicket on a length, just on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and drives it nicely but this time, he finds the cover fielder. A little fumble by the fielder, but no damage done.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, On the top of off, Shahbaz Ahmed guides it with the pace of the ball towards deep third for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Crunched! Another six! Khaleel bangs it short from over the wicket, just outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed hops on the back foot and slashes hard uppishly and clears the backward point boundary with ease for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, On a length, outside off, nipping away a bit. Nitish Kumar Reddy guides it to deep third for one.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Class written all over it! Around the wicket on a fuller length, angling in on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy strides ahead and drives it through covers for a boundary. A textbook cover drive from Nitish.
Change.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Slants it across off and keeps the length the same, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it nicely but finds the fielder at covers. A rare silent over. Just 4 runs off it. A good comeback from Anrich Nortje after being smacked for 22 in his first over.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy pushes it to long on for a single. David Warner does well to keep it to just one.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a hard length, on the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pulls it towards mid-wicket for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard on the top of the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to the widish mid-wicket and quickly sets off for a single. Abishek Porel is quick to pick the ball and throws at the non-striker's end, and has a shy at the stumps. Nitish Kumar Reddy has to put in a full-stretched dive to get it. Had it hit the stumps, he was a goner.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, WIDE! Angles it down leg on a shortish length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings for pull and misses. Wide given.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Slows the pace by rolling the fingers on the leather, lands it on the top of off and on a length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings across and misses to connect.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fires in on the middle and leg channel, on a fuller length, Nitish Kumar Reddy nudges it to mid-wicket and finds Abishek Porel.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Short in length, angling in on the middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep square leg for a single to end the over. Halfway done and Hyderabad are 158/4.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, No run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Turns it in from the fourth stump line, on a length, Shahbaz Ahmed goes back and drags it to long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Strays on the pads, on a nagging length, Shahbaz Ahmed sweeps it to the right of short fine leg for a couple of runs.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Fuller and around off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on the front foot and flicks it through mid-wicket.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, WIDE! Pushes it through again but this is short and beyond the tramline on off.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in at 115 kph, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen gets on the back foot and plays it with a straight bat to long off for a run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, WIDE! Looks to keep it away from the batter but this slips beyond the wide guideline on off, left alone by Klaasen for a wide.
Halt.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, ! BANG! Heinrich Klaasen deposits it into the stands yet again! Kuldeep serves the googly, on middle, but it does not matter one bit. Heinrich Klaasen picks the variation and gets into the position early for the slog sweep. Nails the shot over deep mid-wicket and it goes many a mile for six more runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Good comeback by Kuldeep! Hang on a minute, Delhi have gone for a review. Looks like Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav reckon that there was an edge and they have sent it upstairs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Six!
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Floats it up, full and on off, Travis Head knocks it past the bowler and rotates the strike.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Beaten! Flat and short, quicker through the air, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen hangs back to cut it square but the ball zips through to sneak past the bat.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Full and on leg, Travis Head uses his feet and whips it to wide long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen goes back and exposes all his stumps. Chops it wide of backward point for a quick single.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Angling across the left-hander, short and on off, Travis Head punches it through covers and gets to the other end.
Brace yourselves, bowlers, as Heinrich Klaasen strides out at number 4 aiming to compound the damage with the bat.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, ! STRAIGHT TO THE FIEDLER! Kuldeep Yadav with the double whammy! He roars in delight and the Delhi crowd have found their voices.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, Floats it up nicely, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram drives it against the turn towards cover.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, 1 run.
Aiden Markram walks out at number 3.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! c Axar Patel b Kuldeep Yadav.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! BANG! The crash, bang, wallop continues after the break! Kuldeep tosses it up and bowls it full, on middle, Abhishek Sharma puts the dancing shoes on and tonks it back over the bowler's head. It goes over the sight screen for a biggie.
Strategic Break. Phew, this is some batting of the highest order from the two southpaw openers of Hyderabad. 125 runs in just 6 overs! That's insane! Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have yet again provided a rock-solid foundation and it just seems that these batters are in a hunt to break their own records. Just 36 legal deliveries bowled, and a couple of records have already been broken. These two blokes have shown no mercy at all and have smashed every bowler out of the park. Delhi bowlers
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Six!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, A rarity, a dot!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Nails the yorker but it still goes to the fence. Mukesh serves it on a fullish length, on off and middle, Travis Head is no mood to dig it out and play it out safely. Swings through the line and drills it back past the bowler. 119 runs already in the Powerplay with still two balls to go. This is now the highest Powerplay score ever in T20s.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Make that three in three!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Goes aerial now but the result is the same! Lands it on a good length, on off, Travis Head gets his front leg out of the way nice and early and lofts it over mid off for four more runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Mukesh Kumar is no different, gets the same greeting as others! Starts from around the wicket and angles it in, on a good length, outside off, Travis Head clears his front leg and smacks it hard through covers for a boundary.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! 100 up for Hyderabad in just 5 overs. What sheer range hitting this is from these two southpaws! Length ball, pitched outside the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma anticipates the length quite early and skips down the track before smothering it over deep mid-wicket for another maximum.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, On the good length at the stumps, Travis Head tucks it to the leg side and takes a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Turns away from outside off, on a length, Travis Head looks to smother it again but misses.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, Length delivery on leg, Abhishek Sharma turns it to long on for a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Pure carnage! Bowls it shade full in length and on off, Abhishek Sharma waits for it and clears the front leg before pulling it over square leg for a six.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Up and away! Kuldeep Yadav bowls it right into the hitting arc on the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma skips down the track and launches it over long on for a maximum.
Rishabh Pant turns to Kuldeep Yadav in his quest to stop this carnage.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! The ball is just sailing over the fence at the moment!
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, A low full toss outside off, Abhishek Sharma swings hard but only manages to get an inside half of the bat towards backward square leg for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! A fest already! Almost a half-tracker on the stumps, Abhishek Sharma dances down the track and launches it over long on for a biggie.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, LEG BYE! Short and fires to the hips, Abhishek Sharma fails to connect this time and the ball brushes his pads before rolling to short fine. They collect a leg bye.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! No mercy whatsoever from both ends! Lalit Yadav pitches it short in length, Abhishek Sharma goes back and across before pulling it cleanly over cow corner for a six.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Absolute carnage! Travis Head has equalled his partner, Abhishek Sharma's record for the fastest half-century of this season off just 16 balls! Touch full in length on the leg and middle, Travis Head clears his front leg and swings across the line before depositing it behind deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! What a shot! Anrich Nortje aims to bowl a yorker on the stumps, Travis Head squeezes it out and pierces it through backward point for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Hammered away into the gap! 50 already up for Hyderabad in just 2.4 overs.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, Bouncer outside off, Travis Head ducks underneath it.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Streaky but will do! Over the wicket on a fuller length, angling on the middle and leg, Travis Head swings hard and inside edges it. The ball zips past the short fine fielder for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje comes into the attack as the first change.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! He too, gets a greeting with a boundary! Half-volley on the stumps, Travis Head clears his front foot and lofts it over mid on for a boundary.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! The margin of error is too low against these two! Full and on off, Abhishek Sharma strides ahead and lofts it inside out clearing the thirty-yard circle and gets a boundary on a bounce at deep covers. Another expensive over. 21 from it.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, Full, and on leg, Travis Head flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Well, not a dot this time and guess what, it races away to the fence!
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, A rare dot delivery! Full, on the stumps, Head pushes it back to the bowler.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! No stopping to this man! Flatter, quicker, and on off and middle, Travis Head quickly goes back into the crease and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Away she goes! Short again, predictable length from Lalit on the middle, Travis Head again rocks back and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a huge maximum.
It will be spin in the form of Lalit Yadav from the other end.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abhishek Sharma, ! Abhishek gets off the mark with a boundary! Misses his line and sprays it on the pads, on a nagging length, Abhishek Sharma just stands tall and guides the ball using the pace towards deep fine leg for a boundary to end the first over. An expensive one and Hyderabad are already off to a flier.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Aims the toes on a fuller length, Travis Head looks to flick it off but inside edges on the boots for a single as the ball rolls towards the cover-point region.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Goodness me! Brings the angle a bit into the batter this time on a length, Travis Head pulls it over mid-0wicket for a boundary. One bounce and a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! What a glorious boundary! Khaleel bowls it outside off and lands it on a length, Travis Head slaps it through covers for a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Well, that's how he initiates the inning!
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Starts off with a slip in place, and bowls it outside off on a length with a hint of an outward movement. Travis Head throws his bat at it and swings hard but misses out on connection.
The bell has been rung and it is now time to set the ball rolling for the first time in Delhi in the 17th edition of the Indian T20 League. A huge roar from the crowd as Rishabh Pant leads his troops out to the centre. They are joined by Hyderabad's explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Khaleel Ahmed will kickstart the proceedings with the new ball for the hosts. He is starting with a slip in place. Here we go...
Heinrich Klaasen is in for a chat. He says that it is always fun hitting some big sixes. Adds that he feels very blessed and hopes that a couple of long balls will go out of the ground tonight. States that the standard that the team is setting upfront is remarkable. Tells that they need to keep going and continue playing with freedom. Jokingly says that batters' meetings have not been longer than 4-5 minutes. Opines that if the intensity is nice and up, you can score big runs and it is important
Pat Cummins, the skipper of Hyderabad says that he too, wanted to bowl first. Says the way the boys have been batting, they can't allow the team to come hard at them. Adds that a few good death overs could have changed a little bit but overall he's happy with the way things are going.
The captain of Delhi, Rishabh Pant says that they will bowl first. Mentions that the wicket looks pretty good and they want to chase. Adds that they are playing an extra batter and are more of a batting side. Feels that there will be dew later on. States that the talk has been to stay in the contest and not let the opposition get away. Reckons that the ground does not matter and it is about playing good cricket.
Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan.
Impact subs nominated by Hyderabad -Â Â Umran Malik, Anmolpreet Singh, Akash Singh, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar.
Toss Update - The coin flip lands in favor of Delhi and Rishabh Pant elects to BOWL first.
We are back for the all-important run chase to commence!
... The Run Chase ...
Right then, it's just another opposition in the form of Delhi with the daunting task of chasing a mammoth total of 267. Their openers will aim to get on the top gear from the get-go and they do pose requisite firepower with David Warner back in the ranks. Hyderabad on the other hand will try to improve their bowling performance this time and contain the batters successfully. Stay tuned as the run chase is up next.
Abhishek Sharma is in for a chat. He says that they targeted more than what they got in the Powerplay but he is happy with the team. Mentions that the message was to assess the wicket but Travis Head did really well. Adds that it has been a pleasure from day one to bat with him. Shares that they are lucky to have Head in their team. Tells that having Head at the other end, takes pressure off him and allows him to bat with freedom.Â
On the flip side, the Delhi bowlers found themselves in the crosshairs of the Hyderabad onslaught and were mercilessly sent on a leather hunt. Truth be told, the seamers seemed to lose their way, scattering deliveries all over the pitch and providing the batters with ample room to swing their bats freely. Amidst the relentless assault on the seamers, Rishabh Pant made a strategic move, entrusting Kuldeep Yadav, who rose to the occasion magnificently. Against the relentless pace of the game, Kul
Once again, the electrifying pair of southpaw openers from Hyderabad set the stadium ablaze with their explosive batting right from the word go. Travis Head didn't just start, he rocketed to a fifty in an eye-popping 16 deliveries, matching Abhishek Sharma's record-breaking pace. In a whirlwind of action, the first six overs witnessed the annihilation of records. But that was just the beginning. Hyderabad blazed through to a century in a mind-blowing 5 overs, smashing the record for the fastest
They did it at Hyderabad, they did it at Chinnaswamy, and they did it here at New Delhi. It's almost as if Hyderabad has made rewriting record books a normalcy, effortlessly smashing past the 250-run mark with flair and fluency with the bat, leaving opponents in shock. The attack remained identical, with only the venue changed. 22 towering maximums, equalling their own record of most sixes hit in an innings in the Indian T20 League.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BANG! A tough shot but Shahbaz Ahmed made it look so easy there. Mukesh Kumar errs slightly while going for the yorker and it comes out as a low full toss, Shahbaz Ahmed crouches to make the connection. Picks it up well and hits it flat and over the deep mid-wicket fence for a maximum.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Hit straight as an arrow and that will be the maiden Indian T20 League FIFTY for Shahbaz Ahmed!
Washington Sundar, the Imapct Sub for Hyderabad for Travis Head, is in at number 9. Can Hyderabad get past 260? Let's see...
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! RUN OUT! They go for the second run but Pat Cummins cannot make it!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Not where he intended but he will take it! Slower and fuller, angling in, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg and goes for a heave across the line. Gets a thickish outside edge that goes over short third for a boundary. Moves to 48 does Shahbaz.
Mukesh Kumar to Pat Cummins, On a yorker length, on middle, Pat Cummins knocks it down to long on for a single.
Pat Cummins, the skipper walks in at number 8. Can he too, play a good cameo here? Let's find out.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! c Anrich Nortje b Mukesh Kumar.
It's Mukesh Kumar to bowl the final over of the first innings.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Khaleel Ahmed changes the angle but it does not matter one bit! Comes from around the wicket and bowls it on a length, on the pads, Shahbaz Ahmed swipes across the line and goes behind square on the leg side for a maximum. What started as a quiet over has ended as an expensive one. 250 comes up for Hyderabad.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BOOM! In the arc and out of the park! Khaleel gets the line wrong and also the length. Serves it right in the slot, on middle and leg, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg out and smacks it over wide long on for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Bye! Another one that goes across the batter, slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad looks to play at it but misses. The ball lands in front of Rishabh Pant and he fails to read the bounce. Gets hit on the right index finger and the ball rolls behind for a bye.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, ! Stand and deliver stuff! Khaleel persists with the pace-off delivery, on a length, around off, Abdul Samad holds his shape and waits for the ball to arrive. Gets it from the middle of the bat and it goes into the stands towards deep mid-wicket.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Well bowled! Another off-pace delivery, on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad hangs back and goes for a hoick across the line but connects with thin air.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, Takes pace off and goes into the wicket, outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed drags the pull to long on for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Three perfect yorkers to get out of the over by Mukesh. Goes across the batter again, outside off, Abdul Samad swings to go through the off side but the ball creeps under the bat and goes through to the keeper. Abdul Samad takes the review for wide not given. However, the replays show that the ball was just inside the wide tramline. Hyderabad have lost both their reviews.
Khaleel Ahmed (2-0-32-0) is back into the attack.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Another well-executed yorker by Mukesh, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed knocks it to wide long off for a run.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Nails the wide yorker does Mukesh, going across the batter from around the wicket, Abdul Samad drills it down to long off for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Mukesh comes from around the wicket and goes searching for the yorker. It comes out as a high full toss, at the batter, Abdul Samad has a swipe across the line. Mistimes it but gets it over mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! Hit with brute force! Mukesh looks to go full but allows Samad to get underneath it, outside off, Abdul Samad winds up and smacks it hard between mid off and cover for his first boundary.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Lands it on a length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it square to deep point for a single.
Abdul Samad is in at number 7. Mukesh Kumar (2-0-32-0) replaces Anrich Nortje.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Kuldeep Yadav has the last laugh! Strikes on his last ball of the spell and it is a timely breakthrough for Delhi.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Loops it up does Kuldeep, on a fullish length, on middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses his feet and drives it on the full to the right of long on for a couple of runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! My my! Look at those quick hands! Kuldeep Yadav fires it in, on a nagging length, on the off-stump line, Nitish Kumar Reddy premeditates and shapes for the switch hit. Executes it to perfection and hits it over the deep third fence for a maximum.Â
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Good placement! Short and on midde and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses the depth of the crease and places it between deep mid-wicket and long on, which allows him to come back for the second run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dishes out the googly and bowls it full, gets it to spin away, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy presses forward and leaves the ball alone.
Kuldeep Yadav to Shahbaz Ahmed, Bowls it flat and short, near the wide guideline on off, Shahbaz Ahmed reaches out and slaps it through covers for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a nagging length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on top of the bounce and punches it to deep point. Retains the strike with a single. A tidy over by Nortje, just the 5 runs off it.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims it at the stumps, on a good length, Shahbaz Ahmed angles his bat face and drives it wide of cover for a couple of runs.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Sharp bumper! Nortje bends his back and bangs it into the deck, over the left shoulder of the batter, Shahbaz Ahmed gets inside the line of the ball to pull it away fine on the leg side. He misses to connect and takes the review as he feels that the ball went over his head. The third umpire reckons that Shahbaz had bent and had he been in his normal standing position, the ball would have passed below head height. The decision of dot has been upheld.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! A valiant attempt though by Axar Patel! Nortje digs it in short, at the body of the batter, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets rushed into the pull shot and it lobs off the upper half of the bat. Axar at mid-wicket sprints sideways to his right and stretches out his right hand but the ball brushes his finger tips and rolls away for a single.
Halt! That must have hurt him! Nitish Kumar Reddy is down on the ground in pain as he gets pinged on the groin area. The physio is out to the middle in no time to check him up.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ouch, that has hit Nitish Kumar Reddy on the box!
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Good stop! Angling across the batter, on a hard length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed glides it down to deep third where Khaleel Ahmed covers good ground and slides to his right to keep it down to just a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Short, wide of off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it to long off for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! 200 up for Hyderabad. Full in length, at the leg stump, Shahbaz Ahmed gets down on his knee and sweeps it behind the square for a six. The ball sails over fine leg boundary with ease.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brings the angle with the arm on the middle and leg stump line, keeps the length identical, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Nitish looks for another run but Abishek Porel does well with a good throw to Axar Patel at the bowling end.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Arm ball on the off stump line, on a shorter length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it in front of point and sets off for a single. Good running.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, A perfect yorker on the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy somehow jams his bat down in time and inside edges on the pads. Mukesh Kumar collects the ball to end the over.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims the woods on a fuller length, Shahbaz Ahmed gets ahead, opens the face of the bat toward cover-point for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Length ball on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Effortless and beautiful wrist work at display!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, A low full toss from around the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pushes it through covers for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard, just around off, Nitish Kumar Reddy cuts it front of the square for a single.
Strategic break!
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, on the pads, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to end the over.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! One bounce and into the fence. Not that short from Axar, on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy rocks back and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full in length now, at the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy lunges ahead an drives it to long on for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Across off on a short length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it through point for a single.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the stumps, on off, full in length, Nitish Kumar Reddy leans on the ball and chips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bowls it on a hard length, just on off and middle, Nitish Kumar Reddy turns it towards long on for an easy single to end the over. 13 runs from it.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the wicket on a length, just on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and drives it nicely but this time, he finds the cover fielder. A little fumble by the fielder, but no damage done.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, On the top of off, Shahbaz Ahmed guides it with the pace of the ball towards deep third for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Crunched! Another six! Khaleel bangs it short from over the wicket, just outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed hops on the back foot and slashes hard uppishly and clears the backward point boundary with ease for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, On a length, outside off, nipping away a bit. Nitish Kumar Reddy guides it to deep third for one.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Class written all over it! Around the wicket on a fuller length, angling in on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy strides ahead and drives it through covers for a boundary. A textbook cover drive from Nitish.
Change.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Slants it across off and keeps the length the same, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it nicely but finds the fielder at covers. A rare silent over. Just 4 runs off it. A good comeback from Anrich Nortje after being smacked for 22 in his first over.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy pushes it to long on for a single. David Warner does well to keep it to just one.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a hard length, on the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pulls it towards mid-wicket for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard on the top of the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to the widish mid-wicket and quickly sets off for a single. Abishek Porel is quick to pick the ball and throws at the non-striker's end, and has a shy at the stumps. Nitish Kumar Reddy has to put in a full-stretched dive to get it. Had it hit the stumps, he was a goner.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, WIDE! Angles it down leg on a shortish length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings for pull and misses. Wide given.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Slows the pace by rolling the fingers on the leather, lands it on the top of off and on a length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings across and misses to connect.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fires in on the middle and leg channel, on a fuller length, Nitish Kumar Reddy nudges it to mid-wicket and finds Abishek Porel.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Short in length, angling in on the middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep square leg for a single to end the over. Halfway done and Hyderabad are 158/4.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, No run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Turns it in from the fourth stump line, on a length, Shahbaz Ahmed goes back and drags it to long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Strays on the pads, on a nagging length, Shahbaz Ahmed sweeps it to the right of short fine leg for a couple of runs.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Fuller and around off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on the front foot and flicks it through mid-wicket.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, WIDE! Pushes it through again but this is short and beyond the tramline on off.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in at 115 kph, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen gets on the back foot and plays it with a straight bat to long off for a run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, WIDE! Looks to keep it away from the batter but this slips beyond the wide guideline on off, left alone by Klaasen for a wide.
Halt.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, ! BANG! Heinrich Klaasen deposits it into the stands yet again! Kuldeep serves the googly, on middle, but it does not matter one bit. Heinrich Klaasen picks the variation and gets into the position early for the slog sweep. Nails the shot over deep mid-wicket and it goes many a mile for six more runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Good comeback by Kuldeep! Hang on a minute, Delhi have gone for a review. Looks like Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav reckon that there was an edge and they have sent it upstairs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Six!
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Floats it up, full and on off, Travis Head knocks it past the bowler and rotates the strike.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Beaten! Flat and short, quicker through the air, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen hangs back to cut it square but the ball zips through to sneak past the bat.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Full and on leg, Travis Head uses his feet and whips it to wide long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen goes back and exposes all his stumps. Chops it wide of backward point for a quick single.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Angling across the left-hander, short and on off, Travis Head punches it through covers and gets to the other end.
Brace yourselves, bowlers, as Heinrich Klaasen strides out at number 4 aiming to compound the damage with the bat.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, ! STRAIGHT TO THE FIEDLER! Kuldeep Yadav with the double whammy! He roars in delight and the Delhi crowd have found their voices.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, Floats it up nicely, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram drives it against the turn towards cover.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, 1 run.
Aiden Markram walks out at number 3.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! c Axar Patel b Kuldeep Yadav.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! BANG! The crash, bang, wallop continues after the break! Kuldeep tosses it up and bowls it full, on middle, Abhishek Sharma puts the dancing shoes on and tonks it back over the bowler's head. It goes over the sight screen for a biggie.
Strategic Break. Phew, this is some batting of the highest order from the two southpaw openers of Hyderabad. 125 runs in just 6 overs! That's insane! Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have yet again provided a rock-solid foundation and it just seems that these batters are in a hunt to break their own records. Just 36 legal deliveries bowled, and a couple of records have already been broken. These two blokes have shown no mercy at all and have smashed every bowler out of the park. Delhi bowlers
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Six!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, A rarity, a dot!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Nails the yorker but it still goes to the fence. Mukesh serves it on a fullish length, on off and middle, Travis Head is no mood to dig it out and play it out safely. Swings through the line and drills it back past the bowler. 119 runs already in the Powerplay with still two balls to go. This is now the highest Powerplay score ever in T20s.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Make that three in three!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Goes aerial now but the result is the same! Lands it on a good length, on off, Travis Head gets his front leg out of the way nice and early and lofts it over mid off for four more runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Mukesh Kumar is no different, gets the same greeting as others! Starts from around the wicket and angles it in, on a good length, outside off, Travis Head clears his front leg and smacks it hard through covers for a boundary.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! 100 up for Hyderabad in just 5 overs. What sheer range hitting this is from these two southpaws! Length ball, pitched outside the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma anticipates the length quite early and skips down the track before smothering it over deep mid-wicket for another maximum.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, On the good length at the stumps, Travis Head tucks it to the leg side and takes a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Turns away from outside off, on a length, Travis Head looks to smother it again but misses.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, Length delivery on leg, Abhishek Sharma turns it to long on for a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Pure carnage! Bowls it shade full in length and on off, Abhishek Sharma waits for it and clears the front leg before pulling it over square leg for a six.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Up and away! Kuldeep Yadav bowls it right into the hitting arc on the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma skips down the track and launches it over long on for a maximum.
Rishabh Pant turns to Kuldeep Yadav in his quest to stop this carnage.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! The ball is just sailing over the fence at the moment!
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, A low full toss outside off, Abhishek Sharma swings hard but only manages to get an inside half of the bat towards backward square leg for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! A fest already! Almost a half-tracker on the stumps, Abhishek Sharma dances down the track and launches it over long on for a biggie.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, LEG BYE! Short and fires to the hips, Abhishek Sharma fails to connect this time and the ball brushes his pads before rolling to short fine. They collect a leg bye.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! No mercy whatsoever from both ends! Lalit Yadav pitches it short in length, Abhishek Sharma goes back and across before pulling it cleanly over cow corner for a six.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Absolute carnage! Travis Head has equalled his partner, Abhishek Sharma's record for the fastest half-century of this season off just 16 balls! Touch full in length on the leg and middle, Travis Head clears his front leg and swings across the line before depositing it behind deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! What a shot! Anrich Nortje aims to bowl a yorker on the stumps, Travis Head squeezes it out and pierces it through backward point for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Hammered away into the gap! 50 already up for Hyderabad in just 2.4 overs.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, Bouncer outside off, Travis Head ducks underneath it.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Streaky but will do! Over the wicket on a fuller length, angling on the middle and leg, Travis Head swings hard and inside edges it. The ball zips past the short fine fielder for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje comes into the attack as the first change.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! He too, gets a greeting with a boundary! Half-volley on the stumps, Travis Head clears his front foot and lofts it over mid on for a boundary.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! The margin of error is too low against these two! Full and on off, Abhishek Sharma strides ahead and lofts it inside out clearing the thirty-yard circle and gets a boundary on a bounce at deep covers. Another expensive over. 21 from it.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, Full, and on leg, Travis Head flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Well, not a dot this time and guess what, it races away to the fence!
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, A rare dot delivery! Full, on the stumps, Head pushes it back to the bowler.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! No stopping to this man! Flatter, quicker, and on off and middle, Travis Head quickly goes back into the crease and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Away she goes! Short again, predictable length from Lalit on the middle, Travis Head again rocks back and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a huge maximum.
It will be spin in the form of Lalit Yadav from the other end.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abhishek Sharma, ! Abhishek gets off the mark with a boundary! Misses his line and sprays it on the pads, on a nagging length, Abhishek Sharma just stands tall and guides the ball using the pace towards deep fine leg for a boundary to end the first over. An expensive one and Hyderabad are already off to a flier.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Aims the toes on a fuller length, Travis Head looks to flick it off but inside edges on the boots for a single as the ball rolls towards the cover-point region.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Goodness me! Brings the angle a bit into the batter this time on a length, Travis Head pulls it over mid-0wicket for a boundary. One bounce and a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! What a glorious boundary! Khaleel bowls it outside off and lands it on a length, Travis Head slaps it through covers for a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Well, that's how he initiates the inning!
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Starts off with a slip in place, and bowls it outside off on a length with a hint of an outward movement. Travis Head throws his bat at it and swings hard but misses out on connection.
The bell has been rung and it is now time to set the ball rolling for the first time in Delhi in the 17th edition of the Indian T20 League. A huge roar from the crowd as Rishabh Pant leads his troops out to the centre. They are joined by Hyderabad's explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Khaleel Ahmed will kickstart the proceedings with the new ball for the hosts. He is starting with a slip in place. Here we go...
Heinrich Klaasen is in for a chat. He says that it is always fun hitting some big sixes. Adds that he feels very blessed and hopes that a couple of long balls will go out of the ground tonight. States that the standard that the team is setting upfront is remarkable. Tells that they need to keep going and continue playing with freedom. Jokingly says that batters' meetings have not been longer than 4-5 minutes. Opines that if the intensity is nice and up, you can score big runs and it is important
Pat Cummins, the skipper of Hyderabad says that he too, wanted to bowl first. Says the way the boys have been batting, they can't allow the team to come hard at them. Adds that a few good death overs could have changed a little bit but overall he's happy with the way things are going.
The captain of Delhi, Rishabh Pant says that they will bowl first. Mentions that the wicket looks pretty good and they want to chase. Adds that they are playing an extra batter and are more of a batting side. Feels that there will be dew later on. States that the talk has been to stay in the contest and not let the opposition get away. Reckons that the ground does not matter and it is about playing good cricket.
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12
Diabytes
Delhi Capitals
199/10(19.1 Overs)
We are back for the all-important run chase to commence!
... The Run Chase ...
Right then, it's just another opposition in the form of Delhi with the daunting task of chasing a mammoth total of 267. Their openers will aim to get on the top gear from the get-go and they do pose requisite firepower with David Warner back in the ranks. Hyderabad on the other hand will try to improve their bowling performance this time and contain the batters successfully. Stay tuned as the run chase is up next.
Abhishek Sharma is in for a chat. He says that they targeted more than what they got in the Powerplay but he is happy with the team. Mentions that the message was to assess the wicket but Travis Head did really well. Adds that it has been a pleasure from day one to bat with him. Shares that they are lucky to have Head in their team. Tells that having Head at the other end, takes pressure off him and allows him to bat with freedom.Â
On the flip side, the Delhi bowlers found themselves in the crosshairs of the Hyderabad onslaught and were mercilessly sent on a leather hunt. Truth be told, the seamers seemed to lose their way, scattering deliveries all over the pitch and providing the batters with ample room to swing their bats freely. Amidst the relentless assault on the seamers, Rishabh Pant made a strategic move, entrusting Kuldeep Yadav, who rose to the occasion magnificently. Against the relentless pace of the game, Kul
Once again, the electrifying pair of southpaw openers from Hyderabad set the stadium ablaze with their explosive batting right from the word go. Travis Head didn't just start, he rocketed to a fifty in an eye-popping 16 deliveries, matching Abhishek Sharma's record-breaking pace. In a whirlwind of action, the first six overs witnessed the annihilation of records. But that was just the beginning. Hyderabad blazed through to a century in a mind-blowing 5 overs, smashing the record for the fastest
They did it at Hyderabad, they did it at Chinnaswamy, and they did it here at New Delhi. It's almost as if Hyderabad has made rewriting record books a normalcy, effortlessly smashing past the 250-run mark with flair and fluency with the bat, leaving opponents in shock. The attack remained identical, with only the venue changed. 22 towering maximums, equalling their own record of most sixes hit in an innings in the Indian T20 League.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BANG! A tough shot but Shahbaz Ahmed made it look so easy there. Mukesh Kumar errs slightly while going for the yorker and it comes out as a low full toss, Shahbaz Ahmed crouches to make the connection. Picks it up well and hits it flat and over the deep mid-wicket fence for a maximum.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Hit straight as an arrow and that will be the maiden Indian T20 League FIFTY for Shahbaz Ahmed!
Washington Sundar, the Imapct Sub for Hyderabad for Travis Head, is in at number 9. Can Hyderabad get past 260? Let's see...
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! RUN OUT! They go for the second run but Pat Cummins cannot make it!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Not where he intended but he will take it! Slower and fuller, angling in, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg and goes for a heave across the line. Gets a thickish outside edge that goes over short third for a boundary. Moves to 48 does Shahbaz.
Mukesh Kumar to Pat Cummins, On a yorker length, on middle, Pat Cummins knocks it down to long on for a single.
Pat Cummins, the skipper walks in at number 8. Can he too, play a good cameo here? Let's find out.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! c Anrich Nortje b Mukesh Kumar.
It's Mukesh Kumar to bowl the final over of the first innings.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Khaleel Ahmed changes the angle but it does not matter one bit! Comes from around the wicket and bowls it on a length, on the pads, Shahbaz Ahmed swipes across the line and goes behind square on the leg side for a maximum. What started as a quiet over has ended as an expensive one. 250 comes up for Hyderabad.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BOOM! In the arc and out of the park! Khaleel gets the line wrong and also the length. Serves it right in the slot, on middle and leg, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg out and smacks it over wide long on for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Bye! Another one that goes across the batter, slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad looks to play at it but misses. The ball lands in front of Rishabh Pant and he fails to read the bounce. Gets hit on the right index finger and the ball rolls behind for a bye.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, ! Stand and deliver stuff! Khaleel persists with the pace-off delivery, on a length, around off, Abdul Samad holds his shape and waits for the ball to arrive. Gets it from the middle of the bat and it goes into the stands towards deep mid-wicket.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Well bowled! Another off-pace delivery, on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad hangs back and goes for a hoick across the line but connects with thin air.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, Takes pace off and goes into the wicket, outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed drags the pull to long on for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Three perfect yorkers to get out of the over by Mukesh. Goes across the batter again, outside off, Abdul Samad swings to go through the off side but the ball creeps under the bat and goes through to the keeper. Abdul Samad takes the review for wide not given. However, the replays show that the ball was just inside the wide tramline. Hyderabad have lost both their reviews.
Khaleel Ahmed (2-0-32-0) is back into the attack.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Another well-executed yorker by Mukesh, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed knocks it to wide long off for a run.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Nails the wide yorker does Mukesh, going across the batter from around the wicket, Abdul Samad drills it down to long off for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Mukesh comes from around the wicket and goes searching for the yorker. It comes out as a high full toss, at the batter, Abdul Samad has a swipe across the line. Mistimes it but gets it over mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! Hit with brute force! Mukesh looks to go full but allows Samad to get underneath it, outside off, Abdul Samad winds up and smacks it hard between mid off and cover for his first boundary.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Lands it on a length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it square to deep point for a single.
Abdul Samad is in at number 7. Mukesh Kumar (2-0-32-0) replaces Anrich Nortje.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Kuldeep Yadav has the last laugh! Strikes on his last ball of the spell and it is a timely breakthrough for Delhi.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Loops it up does Kuldeep, on a fullish length, on middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses his feet and drives it on the full to the right of long on for a couple of runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! My my! Look at those quick hands! Kuldeep Yadav fires it in, on a nagging length, on the off-stump line, Nitish Kumar Reddy premeditates and shapes for the switch hit. Executes it to perfection and hits it over the deep third fence for a maximum.Â
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Good placement! Short and on midde and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses the depth of the crease and places it between deep mid-wicket and long on, which allows him to come back for the second run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dishes out the googly and bowls it full, gets it to spin away, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy presses forward and leaves the ball alone.
Kuldeep Yadav to Shahbaz Ahmed, Bowls it flat and short, near the wide guideline on off, Shahbaz Ahmed reaches out and slaps it through covers for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a nagging length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on top of the bounce and punches it to deep point. Retains the strike with a single. A tidy over by Nortje, just the 5 runs off it.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims it at the stumps, on a good length, Shahbaz Ahmed angles his bat face and drives it wide of cover for a couple of runs.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Sharp bumper! Nortje bends his back and bangs it into the deck, over the left shoulder of the batter, Shahbaz Ahmed gets inside the line of the ball to pull it away fine on the leg side. He misses to connect and takes the review as he feels that the ball went over his head. The third umpire reckons that Shahbaz had bent and had he been in his normal standing position, the ball would have passed below head height. The decision of dot has been upheld.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! A valiant attempt though by Axar Patel! Nortje digs it in short, at the body of the batter, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets rushed into the pull shot and it lobs off the upper half of the bat. Axar at mid-wicket sprints sideways to his right and stretches out his right hand but the ball brushes his finger tips and rolls away for a single.
Halt! That must have hurt him! Nitish Kumar Reddy is down on the ground in pain as he gets pinged on the groin area. The physio is out to the middle in no time to check him up.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ouch, that has hit Nitish Kumar Reddy on the box!
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Good stop! Angling across the batter, on a hard length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed glides it down to deep third where Khaleel Ahmed covers good ground and slides to his right to keep it down to just a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Short, wide of off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it to long off for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! 200 up for Hyderabad. Full in length, at the leg stump, Shahbaz Ahmed gets down on his knee and sweeps it behind the square for a six. The ball sails over fine leg boundary with ease.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brings the angle with the arm on the middle and leg stump line, keeps the length identical, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Nitish looks for another run but Abishek Porel does well with a good throw to Axar Patel at the bowling end.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Arm ball on the off stump line, on a shorter length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it in front of point and sets off for a single. Good running.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, A perfect yorker on the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy somehow jams his bat down in time and inside edges on the pads. Mukesh Kumar collects the ball to end the over.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims the woods on a fuller length, Shahbaz Ahmed gets ahead, opens the face of the bat toward cover-point for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Length ball on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Effortless and beautiful wrist work at display!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, A low full toss from around the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pushes it through covers for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard, just around off, Nitish Kumar Reddy cuts it front of the square for a single.
Strategic break!
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, on the pads, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to end the over.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! One bounce and into the fence. Not that short from Axar, on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy rocks back and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full in length now, at the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy lunges ahead an drives it to long on for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Across off on a short length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it through point for a single.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the stumps, on off, full in length, Nitish Kumar Reddy leans on the ball and chips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bowls it on a hard length, just on off and middle, Nitish Kumar Reddy turns it towards long on for an easy single to end the over. 13 runs from it.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the wicket on a length, just on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and drives it nicely but this time, he finds the cover fielder. A little fumble by the fielder, but no damage done.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, On the top of off, Shahbaz Ahmed guides it with the pace of the ball towards deep third for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Crunched! Another six! Khaleel bangs it short from over the wicket, just outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed hops on the back foot and slashes hard uppishly and clears the backward point boundary with ease for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, On a length, outside off, nipping away a bit. Nitish Kumar Reddy guides it to deep third for one.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Class written all over it! Around the wicket on a fuller length, angling in on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy strides ahead and drives it through covers for a boundary. A textbook cover drive from Nitish.
Change.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Slants it across off and keeps the length the same, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it nicely but finds the fielder at covers. A rare silent over. Just 4 runs off it. A good comeback from Anrich Nortje after being smacked for 22 in his first over.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy pushes it to long on for a single. David Warner does well to keep it to just one.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a hard length, on the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pulls it towards mid-wicket for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard on the top of the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to the widish mid-wicket and quickly sets off for a single. Abishek Porel is quick to pick the ball and throws at the non-striker's end, and has a shy at the stumps. Nitish Kumar Reddy has to put in a full-stretched dive to get it. Had it hit the stumps, he was a goner.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, WIDE! Angles it down leg on a shortish length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings for pull and misses. Wide given.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Slows the pace by rolling the fingers on the leather, lands it on the top of off and on a length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings across and misses to connect.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fires in on the middle and leg channel, on a fuller length, Nitish Kumar Reddy nudges it to mid-wicket and finds Abishek Porel.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Short in length, angling in on the middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep square leg for a single to end the over. Halfway done and Hyderabad are 158/4.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, No run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Turns it in from the fourth stump line, on a length, Shahbaz Ahmed goes back and drags it to long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Strays on the pads, on a nagging length, Shahbaz Ahmed sweeps it to the right of short fine leg for a couple of runs.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Fuller and around off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on the front foot and flicks it through mid-wicket.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, ! b Axar Patel.
Who walks in next to the crease?
Nitish Kumar Reddy is in at number 5.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, ! GONE, GONE, GONE! Travis Head finally holes out!
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, WIDE! Pushes it through again but this is short and beyond the tramline on off.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in at 115 kph, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen gets on the back foot and plays it with a straight bat to long off for a run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, WIDE! Looks to keep it away from the batter but this slips beyond the wide guideline on off, left alone by Klaasen for a wide.
Halt.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, ! BANG! Heinrich Klaasen deposits it into the stands yet again! Kuldeep serves the googly, on middle, but it does not matter one bit. Heinrich Klaasen picks the variation and gets into the position early for the slog sweep. Nails the shot over deep mid-wicket and it goes many a mile for six more runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Good comeback by Kuldeep! Hang on a minute, Delhi have gone for a review. Looks like Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav reckon that there was an edge and they have sent it upstairs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Six!
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Floats it up, full and on off, Travis Head knocks it past the bowler and rotates the strike.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Beaten! Flat and short, quicker through the air, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen hangs back to cut it square but the ball zips through to sneak past the bat.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Full and on leg, Travis Head uses his feet and whips it to wide long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen goes back and exposes all his stumps. Chops it wide of backward point for a quick single.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Angling across the left-hander, short and on off, Travis Head punches it through covers and gets to the other end.
Brace yourselves, bowlers, as Heinrich Klaasen strides out at number 4 aiming to compound the damage with the bat.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, ! STRAIGHT TO THE FIEDLER! Kuldeep Yadav with the double whammy! He roars in delight and the Delhi crowd have found their voices.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, Floats it up nicely, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram drives it against the turn towards cover.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, 1 run.
Aiden Markram walks out at number 3.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! c Axar Patel b Kuldeep Yadav.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! BANG! The crash, bang, wallop continues after the break! Kuldeep tosses it up and bowls it full, on middle, Abhishek Sharma puts the dancing shoes on and tonks it back over the bowler's head. It goes over the sight screen for a biggie.
Strategic Break. Phew, this is some batting of the highest order from the two southpaw openers of Hyderabad. 125 runs in just 6 overs! That's insane! Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have yet again provided a rock-solid foundation and it just seems that these batters are in a hunt to break their own records. Just 36 legal deliveries bowled, and a couple of records have already been broken. These two blokes have shown no mercy at all and have smashed every bowler out of the park. Delhi bowlers
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Six!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, A rarity, a dot!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Nails the yorker but it still goes to the fence. Mukesh serves it on a fullish length, on off and middle, Travis Head is no mood to dig it out and play it out safely. Swings through the line and drills it back past the bowler. 119 runs already in the Powerplay with still two balls to go. This is now the highest Powerplay score ever in T20s.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Make that three in three!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Goes aerial now but the result is the same! Lands it on a good length, on off, Travis Head gets his front leg out of the way nice and early and lofts it over mid off for four more runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Mukesh Kumar is no different, gets the same greeting as others! Starts from around the wicket and angles it in, on a good length, outside off, Travis Head clears his front leg and smacks it hard through covers for a boundary.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! 100 up for Hyderabad in just 5 overs. What sheer range hitting this is from these two southpaws! Length ball, pitched outside the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma anticipates the length quite early and skips down the track before smothering it over deep mid-wicket for another maximum.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, On the good length at the stumps, Travis Head tucks it to the leg side and takes a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Turns away from outside off, on a length, Travis Head looks to smother it again but misses.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, Length delivery on leg, Abhishek Sharma turns it to long on for a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Pure carnage! Bowls it shade full in length and on off, Abhishek Sharma waits for it and clears the front leg before pulling it over square leg for a six.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Up and away! Kuldeep Yadav bowls it right into the hitting arc on the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma skips down the track and launches it over long on for a maximum.
Rishabh Pant turns to Kuldeep Yadav in his quest to stop this carnage.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! The ball is just sailing over the fence at the moment!
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, A low full toss outside off, Abhishek Sharma swings hard but only manages to get an inside half of the bat towards backward square leg for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! A fest already! Almost a half-tracker on the stumps, Abhishek Sharma dances down the track and launches it over long on for a biggie.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, LEG BYE! Short and fires to the hips, Abhishek Sharma fails to connect this time and the ball brushes his pads before rolling to short fine. They collect a leg bye.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! No mercy whatsoever from both ends! Lalit Yadav pitches it short in length, Abhishek Sharma goes back and across before pulling it cleanly over cow corner for a six.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Absolute carnage! Travis Head has equalled his partner, Abhishek Sharma's record for the fastest half-century of this season off just 16 balls! Touch full in length on the leg and middle, Travis Head clears his front leg and swings across the line before depositing it behind deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! What a shot! Anrich Nortje aims to bowl a yorker on the stumps, Travis Head squeezes it out and pierces it through backward point for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Hammered away into the gap! 50 already up for Hyderabad in just 2.4 overs.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, Bouncer outside off, Travis Head ducks underneath it.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Streaky but will do! Over the wicket on a fuller length, angling on the middle and leg, Travis Head swings hard and inside edges it. The ball zips past the short fine fielder for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje comes into the attack as the first change.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! He too, gets a greeting with a boundary! Half-volley on the stumps, Travis Head clears his front foot and lofts it over mid on for a boundary.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! The margin of error is too low against these two! Full and on off, Abhishek Sharma strides ahead and lofts it inside out clearing the thirty-yard circle and gets a boundary on a bounce at deep covers. Another expensive over. 21 from it.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, Full, and on leg, Travis Head flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Well, not a dot this time and guess what, it races away to the fence!
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, A rare dot delivery! Full, on the stumps, Head pushes it back to the bowler.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! No stopping to this man! Flatter, quicker, and on off and middle, Travis Head quickly goes back into the crease and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Away she goes! Short again, predictable length from Lalit on the middle, Travis Head again rocks back and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a huge maximum.
It will be spin in the form of Lalit Yadav from the other end.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abhishek Sharma, ! Abhishek gets off the mark with a boundary! Misses his line and sprays it on the pads, on a nagging length, Abhishek Sharma just stands tall and guides the ball using the pace towards deep fine leg for a boundary to end the first over. An expensive one and Hyderabad are already off to a flier.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Aims the toes on a fuller length, Travis Head looks to flick it off but inside edges on the boots for a single as the ball rolls towards the cover-point region.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Goodness me! Brings the angle a bit into the batter this time on a length, Travis Head pulls it over mid-0wicket for a boundary. One bounce and a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! What a glorious boundary! Khaleel bowls it outside off and lands it on a length, Travis Head slaps it through covers for a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Well, that's how he initiates the inning!
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Starts off with a slip in place, and bowls it outside off on a length with a hint of an outward movement. Travis Head throws his bat at it and swings hard but misses out on connection.
The bell has been rung and it is now time to set the ball rolling for the first time in Delhi in the 17th edition of the Indian T20 League. A huge roar from the crowd as Rishabh Pant leads his troops out to the centre. They are joined by Hyderabad's explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Khaleel Ahmed will kickstart the proceedings with the new ball for the hosts. He is starting with a slip in place. Here we go...
Heinrich Klaasen is in for a chat. He says that it is always fun hitting some big sixes. Adds that he feels very blessed and hopes that a couple of long balls will go out of the ground tonight. States that the standard that the team is setting upfront is remarkable. Tells that they need to keep going and continue playing with freedom. Jokingly says that batters' meetings have not been longer than 4-5 minutes. Opines that if the intensity is nice and up, you can score big runs and it is important
Pat Cummins, the skipper of Hyderabad says that he too, wanted to bowl first. Says the way the boys have been batting, they can't allow the team to come hard at them. Adds that a few good death overs could have changed a little bit but overall he's happy with the way things are going.
The captain of Delhi, Rishabh Pant says that they will bowl first. Mentions that the wicket looks pretty good and they want to chase. Adds that they are playing an extra batter and are more of a batting side. Feels that there will be dew later on. States that the talk has been to stay in the contest and not let the opposition get away. Reckons that the ground does not matter and it is about playing good cricket.
Delhi (Playing XI) - David Warner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar.
Impact subs nominated by Delhi -Â Prithvi Shaw, Shai Hope, Pravin Dubey, Rasikh Dar, Sumit Kumar.
Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan.
Impact subs nominated by Hyderabad -Â Â Umran Malik, Anmolpreet Singh, Akash Singh, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar.
Toss Update - The coin flip lands in favor of Delhi and Rishabh Pant elects to BOWL first.
We are back for the all-important run chase to commence!
... The Run Chase ...
Right then, it's just another opposition in the form of Delhi with the daunting task of chasing a mammoth total of 267. Their openers will aim to get on the top gear from the get-go and they do pose requisite firepower with David Warner back in the ranks. Hyderabad on the other hand will try to improve their bowling performance this time and contain the batters successfully. Stay tuned as the run chase is up next.
Abhishek Sharma is in for a chat. He says that they targeted more than what they got in the Powerplay but he is happy with the team. Mentions that the message was to assess the wicket but Travis Head did really well. Adds that it has been a pleasure from day one to bat with him. Shares that they are lucky to have Head in their team. Tells that having Head at the other end, takes pressure off him and allows him to bat with freedom.Â
On the flip side, the Delhi bowlers found themselves in the crosshairs of the Hyderabad onslaught and were mercilessly sent on a leather hunt. Truth be told, the seamers seemed to lose their way, scattering deliveries all over the pitch and providing the batters with ample room to swing their bats freely. Amidst the relentless assault on the seamers, Rishabh Pant made a strategic move, entrusting Kuldeep Yadav, who rose to the occasion magnificently. Against the relentless pace of the game, Kul
Once again, the electrifying pair of southpaw openers from Hyderabad set the stadium ablaze with their explosive batting right from the word go. Travis Head didn't just start, he rocketed to a fifty in an eye-popping 16 deliveries, matching Abhishek Sharma's record-breaking pace. In a whirlwind of action, the first six overs witnessed the annihilation of records. But that was just the beginning. Hyderabad blazed through to a century in a mind-blowing 5 overs, smashing the record for the fastest
They did it at Hyderabad, they did it at Chinnaswamy, and they did it here at New Delhi. It's almost as if Hyderabad has made rewriting record books a normalcy, effortlessly smashing past the 250-run mark with flair and fluency with the bat, leaving opponents in shock. The attack remained identical, with only the venue changed. 22 towering maximums, equalling their own record of most sixes hit in an innings in the Indian T20 League.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BANG! A tough shot but Shahbaz Ahmed made it look so easy there. Mukesh Kumar errs slightly while going for the yorker and it comes out as a low full toss, Shahbaz Ahmed crouches to make the connection. Picks it up well and hits it flat and over the deep mid-wicket fence for a maximum.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Hit straight as an arrow and that will be the maiden Indian T20 League FIFTY for Shahbaz Ahmed!
Washington Sundar, the Imapct Sub for Hyderabad for Travis Head, is in at number 9. Can Hyderabad get past 260? Let's see...
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! RUN OUT! They go for the second run but Pat Cummins cannot make it!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Not where he intended but he will take it! Slower and fuller, angling in, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg and goes for a heave across the line. Gets a thickish outside edge that goes over short third for a boundary. Moves to 48 does Shahbaz.
Mukesh Kumar to Pat Cummins, On a yorker length, on middle, Pat Cummins knocks it down to long on for a single.
Pat Cummins, the skipper walks in at number 8. Can he too, play a good cameo here? Let's find out.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! c Anrich Nortje b Mukesh Kumar.
It's Mukesh Kumar to bowl the final over of the first innings.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Khaleel Ahmed changes the angle but it does not matter one bit! Comes from around the wicket and bowls it on a length, on the pads, Shahbaz Ahmed swipes across the line and goes behind square on the leg side for a maximum. What started as a quiet over has ended as an expensive one. 250 comes up for Hyderabad.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! BOOM! In the arc and out of the park! Khaleel gets the line wrong and also the length. Serves it right in the slot, on middle and leg, Shahbaz Ahmed clears his front leg out and smacks it over wide long on for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Bye! Another one that goes across the batter, slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad looks to play at it but misses. The ball lands in front of Rishabh Pant and he fails to read the bounce. Gets hit on the right index finger and the ball rolls behind for a bye.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, ! Stand and deliver stuff! Khaleel persists with the pace-off delivery, on a length, around off, Abdul Samad holds his shape and waits for the ball to arrive. Gets it from the middle of the bat and it goes into the stands towards deep mid-wicket.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abdul Samad, Well bowled! Another off-pace delivery, on a back of a length, outside off, Abdul Samad hangs back and goes for a hoick across the line but connects with thin air.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, Takes pace off and goes into the wicket, outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed drags the pull to long on for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Three perfect yorkers to get out of the over by Mukesh. Goes across the batter again, outside off, Abdul Samad swings to go through the off side but the ball creeps under the bat and goes through to the keeper. Abdul Samad takes the review for wide not given. However, the replays show that the ball was just inside the wide tramline. Hyderabad have lost both their reviews.
Khaleel Ahmed (2-0-32-0) is back into the attack.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Another well-executed yorker by Mukesh, at the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed knocks it to wide long off for a run.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Nails the wide yorker does Mukesh, going across the batter from around the wicket, Abdul Samad drills it down to long off for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, Mukesh comes from around the wicket and goes searching for the yorker. It comes out as a high full toss, at the batter, Abdul Samad has a swipe across the line. Mistimes it but gets it over mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Abdul Samad, ! Hit with brute force! Mukesh looks to go full but allows Samad to get underneath it, outside off, Abdul Samad winds up and smacks it hard between mid off and cover for his first boundary.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Lands it on a length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it square to deep point for a single.
Abdul Samad is in at number 7. Mukesh Kumar (2-0-32-0) replaces Anrich Nortje.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Kuldeep Yadav has the last laugh! Strikes on his last ball of the spell and it is a timely breakthrough for Delhi.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Loops it up does Kuldeep, on a fullish length, on middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses his feet and drives it on the full to the right of long on for a couple of runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! My my! Look at those quick hands! Kuldeep Yadav fires it in, on a nagging length, on the off-stump line, Nitish Kumar Reddy premeditates and shapes for the switch hit. Executes it to perfection and hits it over the deep third fence for a maximum.Â
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Good placement! Short and on midde and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy uses the depth of the crease and places it between deep mid-wicket and long on, which allows him to come back for the second run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dishes out the googly and bowls it full, gets it to spin away, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy presses forward and leaves the ball alone.
Kuldeep Yadav to Shahbaz Ahmed, Bowls it flat and short, near the wide guideline on off, Shahbaz Ahmed reaches out and slaps it through covers for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a nagging length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on top of the bounce and punches it to deep point. Retains the strike with a single. A tidy over by Nortje, just the 5 runs off it.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims it at the stumps, on a good length, Shahbaz Ahmed angles his bat face and drives it wide of cover for a couple of runs.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Sharp bumper! Nortje bends his back and bangs it into the deck, over the left shoulder of the batter, Shahbaz Ahmed gets inside the line of the ball to pull it away fine on the leg side. He misses to connect and takes the review as he feels that the ball went over his head. The third umpire reckons that Shahbaz had bent and had he been in his normal standing position, the ball would have passed below head height. The decision of dot has been upheld.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! A valiant attempt though by Axar Patel! Nortje digs it in short, at the body of the batter, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets rushed into the pull shot and it lobs off the upper half of the bat. Axar at mid-wicket sprints sideways to his right and stretches out his right hand but the ball brushes his finger tips and rolls away for a single.
Halt! That must have hurt him! Nitish Kumar Reddy is down on the ground in pain as he gets pinged on the groin area. The physio is out to the middle in no time to check him up.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ouch, that has hit Nitish Kumar Reddy on the box!
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Good stop! Angling across the batter, on a hard length, on off, Shahbaz Ahmed glides it down to deep third where Khaleel Ahmed covers good ground and slides to his right to keep it down to just a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Short, wide of off, Shahbaz Ahmed punches it to long off for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! 200 up for Hyderabad. Full in length, at the leg stump, Shahbaz Ahmed gets down on his knee and sweeps it behind the square for a six. The ball sails over fine leg boundary with ease.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brings the angle with the arm on the middle and leg stump line, keeps the length identical, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Nitish looks for another run but Abishek Porel does well with a good throw to Axar Patel at the bowling end.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Arm ball on the off stump line, on a shorter length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it in front of point and sets off for a single. Good running.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, A perfect yorker on the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy somehow jams his bat down in time and inside edges on the pads. Mukesh Kumar collects the ball to end the over.
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, Aims the woods on a fuller length, Shahbaz Ahmed gets ahead, opens the face of the bat toward cover-point for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Length ball on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Effortless and beautiful wrist work at display!
Mukesh Kumar to Shahbaz Ahmed, A low full toss from around the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pushes it through covers for a single.
Mukesh Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard, just around off, Nitish Kumar Reddy cuts it front of the square for a single.
Strategic break!
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, on the pads, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to end the over.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! One bounce and into the fence. Not that short from Axar, on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy rocks back and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full in length now, at the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy lunges ahead an drives it to long on for one.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Across off on a short length, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it through point for a single.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the stumps, on off, full in length, Nitish Kumar Reddy leans on the ball and chips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bowls it on a hard length, just on off and middle, Nitish Kumar Reddy turns it towards long on for an easy single to end the over. 13 runs from it.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Around the wicket on a length, just on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets ahead and drives it nicely but this time, he finds the cover fielder. A little fumble by the fielder, but no damage done.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, On the top of off, Shahbaz Ahmed guides it with the pace of the ball towards deep third for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Shahbaz Ahmed, ! Crunched! Another six! Khaleel bangs it short from over the wicket, just outside off, Shahbaz Ahmed hops on the back foot and slashes hard uppishly and clears the backward point boundary with ease for a maximum.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, On a length, outside off, nipping away a bit. Nitish Kumar Reddy guides it to deep third for one.
Khaleel Ahmed to Nitish Kumar Reddy, ! Class written all over it! Around the wicket on a fuller length, angling in on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy strides ahead and drives it through covers for a boundary. A textbook cover drive from Nitish.
Change.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, Slants it across off and keeps the length the same, Shahbaz Ahmed cuts it nicely but finds the fielder at covers. A rare silent over. Just 4 runs off it. A good comeback from Anrich Nortje after being smacked for 22 in his first over.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Full, outside off, Nitish Kumar Reddy pushes it to long on for a single. David Warner does well to keep it to just one.
Anrich Nortje to Shahbaz Ahmed, On a hard length, on the stumps, Shahbaz Ahmed pulls it towards mid-wicket for a single.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hits the deck hard on the top of the stumps, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to the widish mid-wicket and quickly sets off for a single. Abishek Porel is quick to pick the ball and throws at the non-striker's end, and has a shy at the stumps. Nitish Kumar Reddy has to put in a full-stretched dive to get it. Had it hit the stumps, he was a goner.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, WIDE! Angles it down leg on a shortish length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings for pull and misses. Wide given.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Slows the pace by rolling the fingers on the leather, lands it on the top of off and on a length, Nitish Kumar Reddy swings across and misses to connect.
Anrich Nortje to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fires in on the middle and leg channel, on a fuller length, Nitish Kumar Reddy nudges it to mid-wicket and finds Abishek Porel.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Short in length, angling in on the middle and leg, Nitish Kumar Reddy tucks it to deep square leg for a single to end the over. Halfway done and Hyderabad are 158/4.
Axar Patel to Nitish Kumar Reddy, No run.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Turns it in from the fourth stump line, on a length, Shahbaz Ahmed goes back and drags it to long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Strays on the pads, on a nagging length, Shahbaz Ahmed sweeps it to the right of short fine leg for a couple of runs.
Axar Patel to Shahbaz Ahmed, Fuller and around off, Shahbaz Ahmed gets on the front foot and flicks it through mid-wicket.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, ! b Axar Patel.
Who walks in next to the crease?
Nitish Kumar Reddy is in at number 5.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, ! GONE, GONE, GONE! Travis Head finally holes out!
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, WIDE! Pushes it through again but this is short and beyond the tramline on off.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in at 115 kph, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen gets on the back foot and plays it with a straight bat to long off for a run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, WIDE! Looks to keep it away from the batter but this slips beyond the wide guideline on off, left alone by Klaasen for a wide.
Halt.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, ! BANG! Heinrich Klaasen deposits it into the stands yet again! Kuldeep serves the googly, on middle, but it does not matter one bit. Heinrich Klaasen picks the variation and gets into the position early for the slog sweep. Nails the shot over deep mid-wicket and it goes many a mile for six more runs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Good comeback by Kuldeep! Hang on a minute, Delhi have gone for a review. Looks like Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav reckon that there was an edge and they have sent it upstairs.
Kuldeep Yadav to Heinrich Klaasen, Six!
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Floats it up, full and on off, Travis Head knocks it past the bowler and rotates the strike.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Beaten! Flat and short, quicker through the air, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen hangs back to cut it square but the ball zips through to sneak past the bat.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, 1 run.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Full and on leg, Travis Head uses his feet and whips it to wide long on for a single.
Axar Patel to Heinrich Klaasen, Fires it in, short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen goes back and exposes all his stumps. Chops it wide of backward point for a quick single.
Axar Patel to Travis Head, Angling across the left-hander, short and on off, Travis Head punches it through covers and gets to the other end.
Brace yourselves, bowlers, as Heinrich Klaasen strides out at number 4 aiming to compound the damage with the bat.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, ! STRAIGHT TO THE FIEDLER! Kuldeep Yadav with the double whammy! He roars in delight and the Delhi crowd have found their voices.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, Floats it up nicely, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram drives it against the turn towards cover.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Kuldeep Yadav to Aiden Markram, 1 run.
Aiden Markram walks out at number 3.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! c Axar Patel b Kuldeep Yadav.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! BANG! The crash, bang, wallop continues after the break! Kuldeep tosses it up and bowls it full, on middle, Abhishek Sharma puts the dancing shoes on and tonks it back over the bowler's head. It goes over the sight screen for a biggie.
Strategic Break. Phew, this is some batting of the highest order from the two southpaw openers of Hyderabad. 125 runs in just 6 overs! That's insane! Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have yet again provided a rock-solid foundation and it just seems that these batters are in a hunt to break their own records. Just 36 legal deliveries bowled, and a couple of records have already been broken. These two blokes have shown no mercy at all and have smashed every bowler out of the park. Delhi bowlers
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Six!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, A rarity, a dot!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Nails the yorker but it still goes to the fence. Mukesh serves it on a fullish length, on off and middle, Travis Head is no mood to dig it out and play it out safely. Swings through the line and drills it back past the bowler. 119 runs already in the Powerplay with still two balls to go. This is now the highest Powerplay score ever in T20s.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Make that three in three!
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Goes aerial now but the result is the same! Lands it on a good length, on off, Travis Head gets his front leg out of the way nice and early and lofts it over mid off for four more runs.
Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, ! Mukesh Kumar is no different, gets the same greeting as others! Starts from around the wicket and angles it in, on a good length, outside off, Travis Head clears his front leg and smacks it hard through covers for a boundary.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! 100 up for Hyderabad in just 5 overs. What sheer range hitting this is from these two southpaws! Length ball, pitched outside the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma anticipates the length quite early and skips down the track before smothering it over deep mid-wicket for another maximum.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, On the good length at the stumps, Travis Head tucks it to the leg side and takes a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Turns away from outside off, on a length, Travis Head looks to smother it again but misses.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, Length delivery on leg, Abhishek Sharma turns it to long on for a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Pure carnage! Bowls it shade full in length and on off, Abhishek Sharma waits for it and clears the front leg before pulling it over square leg for a six.
Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! Up and away! Kuldeep Yadav bowls it right into the hitting arc on the leg stump line, Abhishek Sharma skips down the track and launches it over long on for a maximum.
Rishabh Pant turns to Kuldeep Yadav in his quest to stop this carnage.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! The ball is just sailing over the fence at the moment!
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, A low full toss outside off, Abhishek Sharma swings hard but only manages to get an inside half of the bat towards backward square leg for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! A fest already! Almost a half-tracker on the stumps, Abhishek Sharma dances down the track and launches it over long on for a biggie.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, 1 run.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, LEG BYE! Short and fires to the hips, Abhishek Sharma fails to connect this time and the ball brushes his pads before rolling to short fine. They collect a leg bye.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! No mercy whatsoever from both ends! Lalit Yadav pitches it short in length, Abhishek Sharma goes back and across before pulling it cleanly over cow corner for a six.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Absolute carnage! Travis Head has equalled his partner, Abhishek Sharma's record for the fastest half-century of this season off just 16 balls! Touch full in length on the leg and middle, Travis Head clears his front leg and swings across the line before depositing it behind deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! What a shot! Anrich Nortje aims to bowl a yorker on the stumps, Travis Head squeezes it out and pierces it through backward point for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Hammered away into the gap! 50 already up for Hyderabad in just 2.4 overs.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, Bouncer outside off, Travis Head ducks underneath it.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! Streaky but will do! Over the wicket on a fuller length, angling on the middle and leg, Travis Head swings hard and inside edges it. The ball zips past the short fine fielder for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje comes into the attack as the first change.
Anrich Nortje to Travis Head, ! He too, gets a greeting with a boundary! Half-volley on the stumps, Travis Head clears his front foot and lofts it over mid on for a boundary.
Lalit Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, ! The margin of error is too low against these two! Full and on off, Abhishek Sharma strides ahead and lofts it inside out clearing the thirty-yard circle and gets a boundary on a bounce at deep covers. Another expensive over. 21 from it.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, Full, and on leg, Travis Head flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Well, not a dot this time and guess what, it races away to the fence!
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, A rare dot delivery! Full, on the stumps, Head pushes it back to the bowler.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! No stopping to this man! Flatter, quicker, and on off and middle, Travis Head quickly goes back into the crease and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Lalit Yadav to Travis Head, ! Away she goes! Short again, predictable length from Lalit on the middle, Travis Head again rocks back and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a huge maximum.
It will be spin in the form of Lalit Yadav from the other end.
Khaleel Ahmed to Abhishek Sharma, ! Abhishek gets off the mark with a boundary! Misses his line and sprays it on the pads, on a nagging length, Abhishek Sharma just stands tall and guides the ball using the pace towards deep fine leg for a boundary to end the first over. An expensive one and Hyderabad are already off to a flier.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Aims the toes on a fuller length, Travis Head looks to flick it off but inside edges on the boots for a single as the ball rolls towards the cover-point region.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Goodness me! Brings the angle a bit into the batter this time on a length, Travis Head pulls it over mid-0wicket for a boundary. One bounce and a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! What a glorious boundary! Khaleel bowls it outside off and lands it on a length, Travis Head slaps it through covers for a boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, ! Well, that's how he initiates the inning!
Khaleel Ahmed to Travis Head, Starts off with a slip in place, and bowls it outside off on a length with a hint of an outward movement. Travis Head throws his bat at it and swings hard but misses out on connection.
The bell has been rung and it is now time to set the ball rolling for the first time in Delhi in the 17th edition of the Indian T20 League. A huge roar from the crowd as Rishabh Pant leads his troops out to the centre. They are joined by Hyderabad's explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Khaleel Ahmed will kickstart the proceedings with the new ball for the hosts. He is starting with a slip in place. Here we go...
Heinrich Klaasen is in for a chat. He says that it is always fun hitting some big sixes. Adds that he feels very blessed and hopes that a couple of long balls will go out of the ground tonight. States that the standard that the team is setting upfront is remarkable. Tells that they need to keep going and continue playing with freedom. Jokingly says that batters' meetings have not been longer than 4-5 minutes. Opines that if the intensity is nice and up, you can score big runs and it is important
Pat Cummins, the skipper of Hyderabad says that he too, wanted to bowl first. Says the way the boys have been batting, they can't allow the team to come hard at them. Adds that a few good death overs could have changed a little bit but overall he's happy with the way things are going.
The captain of Delhi, Rishabh Pant says that they will bowl first. Mentions that the wicket looks pretty good and they want to chase. Adds that they are playing an extra batter and are more of a batting side. Feels that there will be dew later on. States that the talk has been to stay in the contest and not let the opposition get away. Reckons that the ground does not matter and it is about playing good cricket.
Delhi (Playing XI) - David Warner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar.
Impact subs nominated by Delhi -Â Prithvi Shaw, Shai Hope, Pravin Dubey, Rasikh Dar, Sumit Kumar.
Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan.
Impact subs nominated by Hyderabad -Â Â Umran Malik, Anmolpreet Singh, Akash Singh, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar.
Toss Update - The coin flip lands in favor of Delhi and Rishabh Pant elects to BOWL first.