DAVID Warner’s excellent Indian Premier League form continued as Sunrisers Hyderabad eased to a five-wicket victory over rock-bottom Kings XI Punjab yesterday.Having contributed unbeaten innings of 90 and 74 in the Sunrisers’ previous two matches, Australia batsman Warner thumped 59 from 31 balls on this occasion to help his team chase down 144 with ease.
While Warner’s typically belligerent knock, which featured seven fours and three sixes, proved eye-catching, Mustafizur Rahman’s efforts with the ball were no less impressive.
The Bangladesh seamer enhanced his burgeoning reputation as one of the leading bowlers in limited-overs cricket by returning 2-9 from four overs – the most economical figures of this season’s IPL to date.
Hyderabad have now won three in a row after beginning the tournament with successive defeats, while the Kings XI remain rooted to the foot of the table with one victory from five outings.
Shaun Marsh, the Kings XI’s top scorer with 40, and Nikhil Naik (22) were the victims of Mustafizur, whose off-cutters and yorkers caused no end of problems and Hyderabad were left with a modest target despite Axar Patel’s unbeaten 17-ball 36.
Warner then dominated an opening stand of 90 in 9.5 overs with Shikhar Dhawan (45) to effectively end the match as a contest.
The Kings XI removed Warner and Aditya Tare from successive deliveries, the latter run out following a mix-up with Dhawan, and again claimed two wickets in as many balls when Eoin Morgan (25) and Deepak Hooda (5) departed in the 17th over.
Yet the Sunrisers were still comfortable winners, making it home with 13 balls to spare.

(Sportsmax.com)