Markram 50 rushes Hyderabad to six-wicket win over Chennai in IPL

Aiden Markram’s half-century rushed Sunrisers Hyderabad to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Friday.

Hyderabad cruised to 166-4 with 11 balls to spare after limiting Chennai to 165-5. Despite consecutive defeats, Chennai stayed third on the table while Hyderabad moved to fifth on an inferior net run-rate.

Markram's 50 off 36 balls, his first fifty of the campaign, followed Abhishek Sharma's whirlwind 37 off just 12 deliveries, which provided the home team a rollicking start of 46 runs inside the first three overs.

Opener Travis Head was dropped by Moeen Ali in the first over before the Australian left-hander scored. He went on to 31 off 24.

Sharma smashed three sixes and two boundaries off Mukesh Choudhary in the second over and was out in the third when he tried to slice Deepak Chahar over cover and was caught at backward point.

Head and Markram added 60 runs for the second wicket and Ali came back to dismiss Markram and Shahbaz Ahmed. But, by then, the asking run rate was in Hyderabad's favour.

Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was wicketless in the first three games, made the first key breakthrough for Hyderabad when Rachin Ravindra, on 12, sliced a catch to Markram at mid-on in the fourth over.

Chennai captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (26) and Ajinkya Rahane (35) couldn’t capitalize on good starts, and when Shivam Dube tried to push the scoring rate with 45 off 24 balls, fast bowler Pat Cummins deceived the left-hander with a brilliant slower ball.

Ravindra Jadeja struck four boundaries in an unbeaten 31 off 23 balls but the Hyderabad pacers restricted Chennai to a below-par total.

Associated Press