Synopsis: Sunrisers Hyderabad's collective bowling might proves to be a little too strong for Rising Pune Supergiants. They successfully defend a modest 137 as Adam Zampa's six-for and R Ashwin's guile go in vain. The bowling might David Warner's leap said it all. Three balls to go and 12 runs to get; MS Dhoni dispatched Ashish Nehra over the long-on fence. Six off two, and Nehra bowled a slower bouncer. Dhoni had a top edge as he scampered for the second. But Barinder Sran's return from short third man was quick and Yuvraj Singh broke the stumps and went for a celebratory sprint. Warner looked ecstatic. Game over; or was it! A four in the final delivery would have ensured a super over and Zampa managed an outside. Naman Ojha dived full-length to his right and pulled off a blinder. Hyderabad won the cliffhanger to go top of the table. They defended a modest 137 to win by four runs, thanks to their collective bowling might and outstanding fielding. Low-scoring games can be fascinating at times. Hyderabad didn't have a spinner of Ashwin or Zampa's class on a tacky surface. But their seamers stood up to be counted. Nehra had three wickets, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar made the difference, dismissing Ajinkya Rahane in the first over and bowling some superb yorkers at the back end of the innings. Still, Dhoni in his pomp might have sealed the deal with ease. But he no longer remains the finisher he used to be. He also erred on his batting order, promoting Ashwin at No. 4. The latter is a capable batsman but never a pinch-hitter. Mediocrity around the skipper didn't help matters as Pune went deeper in the mire. Zampa's six-for Early into this IPL, Brad Hogg had been asked about the emergence of Zampa in Australian cricket. The veteran looked pretty impressed with the promise on offer. "The best thing is his game awareness. It's more about reading the situations right and be mentally strong. Zampa has the qualities to add to his talent," Hogg had said. This was Zampa's only second IPL outing. He returned with 6/19 — second-best figures in this T20 league behind Sohail Tanvir's 6/14 for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008 — in four overs. All those wickets came in his second spell — between over No. 16 and 20. The 24-year-old leggie has won Dhoni's trust to be used at the death. Deepak Hooda's scalp was the best of the lot. The Hyderabad middle-order batsman had started off the final over with a six. Zampa came back with a tossed-up delivery outside the off stump. Hooda had charged down the track but was beaten by the drift. Dhoni had an easy stumping. The response attested the youngster's game-reading and fighting qualities. Zampa breached Naman Ojha's defence two deliveries later, cramping him for room. The six-for was earned with another flighted ball that turned sharply, took the toe-end of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bat and went high in the air towards long-on for Saurabh Tiwary to complete the catch. Zampa had removed a well-set Kane Williamson and Moises Henriques in successive balls in his previous over. Williamson reached out for a wide one and mistimed his lofted drive. Rajat Bhatia took a sharp catch at long-off. Henriques charged down the track but couldn't negotiate the drift and holed out to Bhatia at long-off. Yuvraj's wicket was the most important of them all. The left-hander had begun to up the ante, when he was done in by a googly. He skied it to Tiwary at long-off. It was great to see a young spinner teasing the batters with flight in a T20 contest. The ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium pitch assisted turn, and Zampa revelled in self belief. Ashwin's guile Spare a thought for Ashwin. Last time he had played at this venue, on February 14, the offie bagged 4/8 in a T20 international against Sri Lanka. But that was water under the bridge, for Ashwin had strangely become peripheral in this IPL. He bowled only 30 overs in 10 matches, coming into this fixture. Ashwin had a point to prove. For a change, Warner got out early after he won the toss and decided to bat first. But Shikhar Dhawan looked to be in good nick. Ashwin came in the seventh over and his third ball pitched outside off and went past the leg stump. Williamson's treatment to the bowler from thereon became almost reverential. The Kiwi survived Ashwin's spin punch but Dhawan perished. The off-spinner had spotted the charge and held it back a little. Dhawan could only manage an uppish slice to Tiwary at long-on. Three days ago, Dhoni had given Ashwin only one over against a marauding Virat Kohli. On Tuesday, he bowled four overs on the bounce and finished with 1
