Opening batsman David Warner smashed a marauding 126 runs off 59 deliveries to power defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad to 209/3 in 20 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Sunday.
The Hyderabad captain unleashed mayhem as he milked 10 fours and eight sixes at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. He also became the highest run-scorer of the tournament so far with a tally of 459 runs.
Warner and Shikhar Dhawan forged a 139-run partnership for the opening wicket as the former produced an astonishing show of power hitting.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir applied a strategy of completing the six overs of Powerplay with six bowlers. But none of them could stop Warner, who completed his 50 in only 20 deliveries. At the end of six overs, Hyderabad rocketted off to 79/0, with Warner at 62 not out off 25 balls.
One delightful stroke that signified Warner's belligerence was a switch-hit to Sunil Narine as the ball went for six over the short third man.
Later, Warner got a life as Chris Woakes dropped an easy catch at long-off off chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the fifth ball of the 10th over. The catch went over the boundary line for a six and the following ball gave Warner another six to take him to 98 not out. The next over saw Warner complete a double with a flick towards midwicket off a Umesh Yadav delivery as he registered his century in just 43 deliveries.
All this while, Dhawan played a perfect foil to Warner, scoring a run-a-ball 29 before being run out, with the hosts at 139/1 in 12.4 overs.
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Warner followed him to the dug-out soon, as he mistimed a slow delivery from pacer Coulter-Nile to Gautam Gambhir at short cover, with Hyderabad at 171/2 in 16.2 overs.
Kane Williamson (40 off 25) later ensured that Hyderabad crossed the 200-run mark with smart strokeplay.
Brief scores: Hyderabad 209/3 in 20 overs (David Warner 126, Kane Williamson 40; Chris Woakes 1/46) vs Kolkata.
--IANS
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