Composed Pooran guides Sunrisers to second win

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Nicholas Pooran’s mature unbeaten knock saw Sunrisers Hyderabad to their second win of the new Indian Premier League campaign, as they beat Gujarat Titans by eight wickets yesterday.

Asked to chase 163 at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Sunrisers cantered over the line with five balls to spare, to put distance between themselves and the two winless bottom-placed sides, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

Pooran finished the match in style, launching fast bowler Darshan Nalkande over square leg for six off the first ball of the final over, to finish unbeaten on 34 from 18 deliveries.

All told, he punched two fours and two sixes, dominating an unbroken 39-run, third-wicket stand with South African Aiden Markram (12 not out).

Captain Kane Williamson top-scored with 57 from 46 balls, while Abhishek Sharma hit 42 from 32 balls, the pair posting 64 for the first wicket.

Earlier, skipper Hardik Pandya struck a measured, unbeaten 50 from 41 balls, with four fours and a six, as Titans posted 162 for seven off their 20 overs, after being sent in.

At 64 for three in the eighth over, Titans were in need of a decent partnership and got it through Pandya, the flamboyant India star putting on 40 for the fourth wicket with David Miller (12) and exactly 50 for the fifth with Abhinav Manohar, whose 35 came from 21 deliveries.

The innings tailed away, however, with the last three wickets going down off the last seven balls of the innings, and the last five overs serving up only 44 runs.

In reply, Williamson counted two fours and four sixes and Abhishek, half-dozen fours, providing the run chase with a solid platform from their fluent stand.

Rahul Tripathi (17) added a further 40 for the second wicket with Williamson before retiring hurt in the 14th over. And when the New Zealander eventually perished at the start of the 17th, Sunrisers still required 33 runs from 23 balls.

But Pooran put any lingering fears to rest, making the most of a life on 11 to see off the Titans threat.