Warner, Saha and Rashid script thumping win for Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad stayed alive in the Indian Premier League with a thumping 88-run win over Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Tuesday, after posting a mammoth 219 for two. 

Skipper David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha made Delhi Capitals pay for asking them to bat first with a punishing 107-run opening stand in just 9.4 overs before Warner departed for 66 off 34 balls. 

There was little respite for Delhi, however, as Saha built a 63-run second-wicket stand with Manish Pandey, who hit an unbeaten 44 off 31.  

But it was Saha who was the main force in giving Hyderabad the foundation to reach a 200-plus score, with Pandey providing the fireworks at the end.

Saha hit a blistering 87 from just 45 balls, studded with 12 fours and two sixes, before falling in the 15th over. 

Delhi fast bowler Andrich Nortje took one for 37 from four overs, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took the other wicket to fall, that of Warner, conceding 35 runs from three overs. 

RASHID IMPRESSES YET AGAIN

Delhi were given barely a sniff in their chase, folding for 131 in 19 overs.

Only four batsmen -- Rishabh Pant (36), Ajinkya Rahane (26), Tushar Deshpande (20) and Shimron Hetmyer (16) -- reached double figures as a disciplined bowling effort from Sunrisers, coupled with scoreboard pressure, crippled Delhi's response. 

Rashid Khan, the world's best T20 bowler was once again the wrecker-in-chief, taking three wickets for just seven runs from four overs.

The Afghan leg-spinner took the wickets of Rahane, Hetmyer and Axar Patel, taking his wickets tally in the edition to 17 -- third on the list of wicket-takers, behind Kagiso Rabada (23) and Mohammad Shami (20). His economy rate of five runs per over is by far the best in the tournament. 

Their fifth win in 12 matches leaves Hyderabad a slim chance of making the playoffs if they win their remaining two group matches.