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Having got their IPL campaign back on track somewhat, a resurgent Pune Warriors India will look to secure another win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in today’s game. Both sides are evenly matched (at least on paper), and it will be a test of nerves and skill once again. It will be interesting to see two of Sri Lanka’s T20 stalwarts facing off – I would bill it as Angelo Mathews’ exuberance vs Kumar Sangakkara’s experience.
Pune finally got their combination right in the previous game against Chennai. I’ve been saying this for quite a while now – if the Sahara outfit has any chance of doing well in this edition, they must include Steven Smith in the final XI. The young Aussie all-rounder made all the difference with his unorthodox strokeplay and quicksilver fielding. He will be itching to make a mark on today’s fixture as well. The top order has looked fairly solid, with Aaron Finch and Robin Uthappa forming an explosive tag-team, and the presence of big-hitting Ross Taylor lower down. Skipper Mathews is also in good nick, and the likes of Smith and Mitchell Marsh can also clear the ropes at will.
On the bowling front, young Bhuvneshwar Kumar was outstanding in the last game and will share new-ball duties with pacer Ashok Dinda. The Bengal seamer had a forgettable outing against Mumbai, giving away 63 runs in his 4 overs, and he will look to rectify that against SRH. Leg spinner Rahul Sharma is as consistent as ever, and will be once again called upon to break partnerships. Marsh and Mathews will provide the additional seam-up options, but it won’t be a bad idea to include left-armer Shrikant Wagh for today’s game, just to lend some variety to a rather one-dimensional pace attack.
Conditions - The pitch at the Subroto Roy Sahara Stadium has offered assistance for both bowlers and batsmen. The outfield is lightning-quick, and both sides will look to their pacers to deliver the early breakthroughs.
Players in focus - After much wait, Steven Smith made an appearance in IPL and made sure that it was worth remembering. Their best player last season without a doubt, Smith would like to continue the form he showed in the last match today. Taylor, Marsh and captain Mathews will also look to deliver a high-level performance.
X Factor - Robin Uthappa. The Bangalore lad seems to be slowly finding his feet in this edition. He will have to play the sheet anchor role if Finch gets going at the other end, and can accelerate the scoring when required.
Prediction - Nothing less than a cracker jack of a contest is on the cards as long as both teams are able to hold their nerves and execute their plans. However, as always, my money (well – what’s left of it anyway!) – will be on the home side.
