Explosive knocks by openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma guided Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first victory of the IPL season with a commanding 65-run thrashing of Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday.
Australia’s Head made 46 off 21 balls and together with Abhishek, who smashed a 48 off just 21 balls, set the platform for Hyderabad’s total of 226-8 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
Hyderabad then dismissed the three-time winners Kolkata for 161 in 16 overs to earn their first points after losing their opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Head and Abhishek added 82 runs for the opening wicket, as the two launched themselves into the opposition attack to hit a total of 10 fours and seven sixes.
South African Heinrich Klaasen made 52 from just 35 after Kolkata slumped three wickets in a hurry including skipper Ishan Kishan, for 14, and Abhishek within an over from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-41.
Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy (39), added 82 for the fifth wicket to lift Hyderabad after a dismal start.
“I am happy everyone showed the effort,” said Kishan, who is leading the team in place of Pat Cummins while he recovers from a back injury.
“We make our game easy, Head and Abhishek. It was all a team effort.”
Both teams were fresh from losing their opening matches and Hyderabad, who lifted the trophy in 2016, delivered on all fronts.
Finn Allen, the New Zealand import for Kolkata, sent three through the covers as many times and two over David Payne’s head in his first over of the chase to help them off to a flier.
But Allen departed in the second over after a seven-ball 28, and despite wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 52, the Kolkata chase fizzled out.
“I thought (SRH) bowlers bowled (well the slower balls) and angle they used were really good,” Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane said.
The left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat took three wickets — including two in two balls to help bowl out Kolkata with four overs to spare as Hyderabad produced a comeback.