Ishan Kishan's Blazing 91 Powers SRH to 216/6 Against RR in IPL Thriller

SRH needs to defend 217 runs to secure their second win of the tournament.

Being put to bat first, SRH was off to a nightmarish start, as Abhishek Sharma once again fell for a golden duck while going big against a Jofra Archer short delivery.

Skipper Ishan Kishan and Travis Head put pressure back on Jofra, as Ishan hit him for two sixes and a four in the third over. SRH continued to collect fours and sixes against pacers in the powerplay against Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma and Nandre Burger, bringing up the 50-run mark in 5.5 overs.

SRH ended their powerplay at 51/1 in six overs, with Head (16*) and Ishan (35*) unbeaten.

Head's inconsistent run in the competition continued, losing his shape against Riyan Parag and handing a catch to Donovan Ferreira at long-on, dismissed for a run-a-ball 18. SRH was 55/2 in 6.5 overs.

Ishan and Heinrich Klaasen continued to collect runs undeterred, hitting a six each against Ravi Bishnoi in the 10th over, taking SRH to 89/2 in 10 overs, with Kishan (56*) and Klaasen (14*) unbeaten. Ishan reached his second fifty of the season in 30 balls, with two fours and five sixes.

In the 11th over, Tushar Despande was taken to cleaners by Ishan, being hit for three fours and a six by Ishan. SRH brought up their 100-run mark in 10.3 overs. The duo had brought up their 50-run stand in 24 balls.

Klaasen also picked up, scoring a six against Bishnoi and getting a boundary against Archer, who was taken down for 17 runs in the 13th over, with Ishan hitting him for a hat-trick of fours.

It was Sandeep Sharma who broke the 88-run stand by pulling off a stunning caught-and-bowled dismissal of Kishan for a 44-ball 91, with eight fours and six sixes. SRH were 154/3 in 13.2 overs.

Klaasen soon followed Ishan, as he could not get the elevation on a lofted shot, caught by Parag at extra-cover for a 26-ball 40, with a four and three sixes. Deshpande got his first wicket, leaving SRH at 162/4 in 15.5 overs.

After this, Sandeep Sharma was taken down for 24 runs in the 17th over, with three sixes by Nitish Kumar Reddy and a four by Salil Arora. Archer ended the brief 33-run stand, removing Nitish (28 in 13 balls, with four sixes). SRH were 195/5 in 18.3 overs. Jofra was smacked for a huge six at the end of the over by Salil, bringing the 200-run mark in 19 overs.

Aniket Verma was run out at the fourth ball of the inning for just six runs. SRH were 209/6 in 19.4 overs. SRH ended at 216/6, with Salil (24* in 13 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Harsh Dubey (0*) unbeaten.

Archer (2/37) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Deshpande, Sandeep and Riyan also got one each.

- ANI