Sunrisers Hyderabad retained the fifth spot in the IPL 2024 points table with a narrow victory over Punjab Kings on Tuesday. Thanks to the two-run win, SRH are level on points with Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings but their Net Run Rate (NRR) is the worst compared to the other three. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, remain sixth in the table despite the loss as they have the same number of points as Gujarat Titans but a better NRR. Rajasthan Royals continue to top the standings with eight points and they are the only unbeaten side in the competition right now.
Young Nitish Reddy showed tremendous character during a vital 37-ball 64 as Sunrisers Hyderabad eked out a two-run win over Punjab Kings, surviving a daring attack by Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma.
Sent in to bat, the 20-year-old Reddy lifted SRH to 182/9 after PBKS had the visitors reeling at 66 for four in the 10th over.
PBKS were stopped at 180/6, but they wouldn't have gone that far had it not been for a whirlwind 66-run partnership between the heroes of their last match, Shashank (46 not out off 25 balls) and Ashutosh (33 not out off 15 balls).
Needing 29 runs in the last over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat, SRH dropped three catches as Shashank and Ashutosh came within touching distance of pulling off another stunning win.
The Visakhapatnam-born Reddy, who started out as a batter at age group level before blossoming into a pace-bowling all-rounder, struck five sixes and fours fours during his unbeaten knock.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh (4/29) was the standout bowler for PBKS, but SRH still eventually finished with a total that looked improbable at one stage. Abdul Samad chipped in with a 12-ball 25 before Jaydev Unadkat ended the SRH innings with a last ball six.
(With PTI inputs)
