By CS Chiwanza.
Harry Brook scored a scintillating unbeaten maiden IPL century as he led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a 23-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their Tata Indian Premier League match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Friday.
The high-scoring encounter, which saw KKR score 205 in reply to SRH’s 228, had the makings of a cliffhanger when KKR found themselves in need of 32 runs off the final over. Umran Malik held his nerve and conceded eight runs. This is SRH’s second win in four matches.
Brook was simply outstanding as he struck 12 fours and three sixes on his way to a fabulous unbeaten 100 off 55. Brook became the third SRH player after David Warner and Johnny Bairstow to score a century for the franchise.
Brook couldn’t have picked a better match to find form. Coming into this match, he had a high score of 13 in three matches and had an unflattering strike rate of 74.36. He also had a mere four fours and no sixes to his name. The Englishman did not have those figures in mind as he took to the crease against KKR.
Brook was supported exceptionally well by his captain, Aiden Markram, and Abhishek Sharma. Markram smashed more sixes than fours (two fours and five sixes) as he romped to a fourth IPL half-century.
The South African faced 26 deliveries for his 50 runs. The Proteas T20 captain assumed the role of the aggressor in the period when Brook simply looked to survive the KKR spinners.
After Markram’s dismissal, Abhishek Sharma took over the role of attacking the spinners, realising Brook’s weakness against KKR’s premier spinners, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravathy. The left-hander carved three fours and two sixes for his 32 off 17.
Rana effort not enough for KKR
Brook’s partnerships with Markram, Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen (16* off 6) were the difference between the two teams.
The partnerships with Markram and Sharma each contributed 72 runs to the total off 45 and 35 deliveries respectively. The partnership with Klaasen added 27 runs from five deliveries.
KKR just did not have the partnerships to keep the fight close. KKR lost their first four wickets for 82 runs and that put them on the back foot.
Nitish Rana’s flamboyant yet defiant innings of 75 off 41 needed the kind of support that Brook received. The only player who stood up to provide that was Rinku Singh (47* off 26).
Their 69-run partnership gave the hosts hope, but after Rana’s dismissal, there was no one to carry on the attacking play he espoused in the match.
Mayank Markande was SRH’s best bowler with two wickets for 27 runs in four overs. South African left-arm seamer Marco Jansen troubled KKR batters with the angles he brings, thanks to his height and being a left-arm seamer.
He also took two wickets, but at a slightly higher economy rate of 9.25 runs an over.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Narayan Jagadeesan, Nitish Rana (capt), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Suyash Sharma.
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD: Abhishek Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Harry Brook, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Mayank Markande, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, T Natrajan.