Sunrisers Hyderabad’s never-say-die spirit came to the fore again, with the team posting an exhilarating four-wicket win over a spirited Trinidad & Tobago in their Champions League T20 match here on Tuesday night.
Thisara Perera, who had earlier done his bit with the ball, turned up the unlikely hero guiding Sunrisers Hyderabad to victory single-handedly.
Chasing 160/8, Sun-risers were staring down the barrel (95/4) with their top order back in the pavilion and the asking rate shooting up. It was then that Perara (57 not out, 32 balls 4x4, 4x6) took over and played an innings of nerve despite lack of support from the other end.
He stitched 47 runs (29 balls) for the fifth wicket along with Darren Sammy, and finished off the task with Karan Sharma in company. Needing seven runs off the final over, Karan (13, 5 balls) slammed a four and a six off Navin Stewart as Sunrisers knocked off the target with three balls to spare.
Spinner Sunil Narine was at his economical best, bowling a magnificent 4/9 from four overs, but it wasn’t T&T's day.
Earlier, a delightful knock from Darren Bravo put Trinidad on course as they notched up 160/8. Bravo was confidence personified, displaying an array of shots in his 44-ball 66, that contained five fours and four maximums.
Sunrisers, who often look up to their bowlers for victories, were made to look ordinary early on as their quicks Dale Steyn — who cleaned up Lendl Simmons on the very first ball of the match — and Ishant Sharma were hit all over the park. It was only some incisive bowling from West Indies’ Darren Sammy and Sri Lankan Thisara Perera that managed to keep the charging Caribbean team under control.
Scores: Trinidad 160/8 (D. Bravo 66, E.Lewis 22; Sammy 2/21, Perera 2/26) Sunrisers Hyderabad 164/6 in 19.3 overs (T. Perera 57 n.o., S. Dhawan 23; Narine 4/9)