5 memorable moments from the SRH vs RPS match that don’t fade away

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rising Pune Supergiant came up against each other in Match No. 44 of Vivo IPL 10. After winning the toss, Hyderabad opted to bowl first and restricted Pune to a total of 148.

David Warner’s 40 and Yuvraj Singh’s 47 went in vain as Hyderabad couldn’t chase down what looked like a gettable total, succumbing to a 12-run loss. Jaydev Unadkat ripped through the Sunrisers’ batting line-up, bagging his second IPL fifer which included a last over hat-trick.

Here are 5 memorable moments from the match that don't fade away, quite like the Axe Signature range of body perfumes:

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#1 Rahul Tripathi’s run-out

Playing his first IPL season, Rahul Tripathi has been the find of the season for Pune. He has been the most consistent performer for the Maharashtra franchise and thus with every passing game, expectations are only growing on the 26-year-old.

His run-out against Hyderabad was the turning point of the match. A flick to short fine leg went straight to Bipul Sharma, who was quick to collect the ball and hit the stumps on the full before Tripathi could make his ground. Tripathi had to depart after scoring a solitary run.

#2 Partnership between Ben Stokes and Steve Smith

Steve Smith laid the platform for his side

With 2 wickets down for 39 runs, Pune were in desperate need of some stability in the middle. The partnership of 60 runs between Ben Stokes and Steve Smith was the only decent stand in Pune’s shoddy performance with the bat. While the England all-rounder hit a 25-ball 39, the Pune captain contributed with a 39-ball 34.

This partnership helped the visitors set the platform for a decent total and ensured that the match didn’t end after the first innings itself.

#3 Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s cameo

Dhoni added the finishing touches to RPS’ innings

Just when it seemed that the struggling Pune side would not go past 120, Dhoni’s 21-ball 31 cameo helped the visitors post a target of 149 runs. Dhoni, who has managed only 204 runs in 11 matches thus far, looked in sublime touch against the Sunrisers.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was at the receiving end as the former RPS captain decided it was time for some quick runs towards the end. He hit two fours and two sixes in his brief innings to turn on the heat at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

#4 Ben Stokes’ opening spell

Stokes breathed fire in his opening spell

In his opening spell, IPL 10’s most expensive buy dismissed two of Hyderabad’s top batsmen in the same over to get his team back in the contest. The first victim was Shikhar Dhawan, who was clean bowled by Stokes’ very first delivery of the innings. Dhawan looked in good touch but could only manage a cameo of 19.

Just a delivery later, Stokes removed Kane Williamson as well. Williamson could have anchored Hyderabad’s chase, but he was done in by some extra bounce. He was late in getting forward on the drive, and the ball seamed enough to catch the shoulder of the bat with Dhoni comfortably claiming the dolly. Williamson had to walk back for 4.

Stokes also removed a dangerous looking David Warner on 40 to slowly take away the game from the Sunrisers.

#5 Jaydev Unadkat’s second spell

The hat-trick hero

After Yuvraj Singh fell on 47, the equation read 13 runs from 6 balls. Jaydev Unadkat’s hat-trick in the last over was what lost Hyderabad the game.

His 3 back to back scalps were Bipul Sharma, Rashid Khan, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as he bowled a 3-wicket maiden in the final over of the match. With this feat, Unadkat became the second bowler in IPL history to bag two fifers after James Faulkner. Before the hat-trick, he had removed Yuvraj Singh and Naman Ojha as well.