Hyderabad moves atop IPL with 33-run win over Punjab as Connolly's century goes in vain

Leading run-getter Heinrich Klaasen (69) and Ishan Kishan (55) had earlier capitalized on sloppy Punjab fielding and led Hyderabad to 235-4 as both batters notched aggressive half-centuries after getting early reprieves.

“Punjab are a really good side," Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins said. “No matter what the score is, bowling second against that side was clinical. We’re pretty good at playing it at our pace, it’s just trying to max out.”

Punjab had a terrific start to the season when it stayed unbeaten in the first seven games that included a successful run chase of 265 against Delhi Capitals.

But Hyderabad ensured its record of not losing an IPL game after scoring 220-plus stayed intact as Punjab got derailed inside the first four overs when they slipped to 23-3 and Connolly, who hit eight sixes and seven fours, got little support from the other end in a steep chase.

Cummins (2-34) stifled the chase early when he first had Priyansh Arya caught at deep mid-wicket in the first over and then took smart catches of Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer.

After losing top-order batters quickly, Connolly raised his half-century off 34 balls and Marcus Stoinis showed some brief spark with a knock of 28 off 14 balls before spinner Shivang Kumar (2-45) found the thick outside edge of his bat soon after the power play.

Hyderabad was also sloppy in the field when Connolly got dropped twice after his half-century before he raised his hundred in the final over and ensured Punjab played out the full 20 overs by sharing a 68-run seventh wicket stand with Jansen (19).

Earlier, Hyderabad’s aggressive opening pair of Abhishek Sharma (35 off 13 balls) and Travis Head (38 off 19 balls) provided a rollicking start of 54 off 21 balls with Sharma smashing four sixes and two boundaries and Head hitting three sixes and three boundaries.

Both batters came down hard on left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen (0-61), who conceded five sixes and four boundaries in his two expensive spells as first Sharma and Head smashed big hits and then Klaasen clobbered two sixes against his fellow-South African in the death overs.

Punjab’s scratchy fielding allowed Klaasen and Kishan to share an attacking 88-run stand off 48 balls as both batters were dropped before reaching the double figures.

Kishan got dismissed in the 15th over when he holed out at deep mid-wicket, but Nitish Kumar Reddy’s breezy 29 off 13 balls and Klaasen’s clean striking in the death overs lifted the home team’s total.

“It was a bit too much because we dropped catches at the start,” Iyer said. “We got a fairytale start in the tournament, and everyone was in a great space, (but) if we are going to continue with the same form, that’s not going to help us.”

Hyderabad’s seventh win in 11 games moved them into first place on 14 points, one more than Punjab, which got bumped out of the top spot.

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