A brutal century by Travis Head has blasted Sunrisers Hyderabad back into the Indian Premier League play-off places in another match for bowlers to forget.
One of the few who may remember it with any affection is Pat Cummins, who went for more than ten-an-over but took three wickets, and is Sunrisers captain.
Head’s first T20 hundred was the fourth fastest in IPL history, made off 39 balls. His 102 was the launchpad for Hyderabad to make 3-287, bettering their own IPL record of 3-277 set earlier this season.
Yet they only won by 25 runs as Royal Challengers Bengaluru recovered from 6-181 in the 15th over to finish on 7-262. The 549-run aggregate was easily the highest in IPL history.
“I feel like I wish I was a batter,” said Cummins. “If you bowl an over for seven or eight it feels great.
“I’m really happy with our cricket, the freedom with which the batters are going out to play is great and few wily bowlers doing the job as well.”
Head’s blistering ton included eight sixes and nine fours. The Australian left-hander pounded the fast bowlers, notably New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson (2-52), who had a forgettable first game of the season as Bengaluru’s ploy not to go with a specialist spinner backfired.
Head raised his half-century off 20 balls and completed his century off the next 19 before finally holing out off Ferguson to mid-off.
“The pitch played beautifully,” he said. “We thought we had to take the license to go.”
Of his own batting he added: “It’s not the prettiest thing in the world but I’m pleased with how I struck the ball today.”
“It was unbelievable, special knock,” said teammate Heinrich Klassen, who added 57 in 26 balls with Head, making 67 himself off 31 balls.
Australian batsman Travis Head hit the fourth fastest century in the IPL. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Abdul Salam (37no in ten balls) and Aiden Markram (32no in 17) then smashed 46 runs off the last two overs, bowled by Reece Topley (1-68) and Vijaykumar Vyshak (0-64).
Head was then subbed out, enabling him to have a “nice little bit of food, a shower and put my feet up.”
Out in the middle Faf du Plessis (62) and Virat Kohli (42) helped the home team to a rollicking start of 79 in the batting power play.
But Cummins dismissed Du Plessis caught down the leg side, and sliced through the middle order.
Dinesh Karthik plundered 83 off 35 balls to keep the game alive, but though Anuj Rawat (25no) hit four boundaries in the last over off Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-60) the task was simply too great. RCB’s fifth loss on the spin leaves them bottom of the table.
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