Klaasen's maiden IPL ton fires SRH to 186/5 against RCB
Hyderabad, May 18: In-form Heinrich Klaasen displayed his big-hitting prowess on way to his maiden IPL hundred as Sunrisers Hyderabad recovered from a poor start to post 186 for five against Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial match here on Thursday.
The keeper-batter had six hits over the fence and eight across it during his scintillating 51-ball knock. He forged a 76-run partnership with Aiden Markram (18) before adding another 74 off 36 balls with Harry Brook (27 not out) to take SRH to a competitive total.
Already out of playoff race, SRH once again had a poor start after being asked to take first strike by RCB skipper Faf du Plessis.
As has been the case this season, Rahul Tripathi (15) and Abhishek Sharma (11) frittered away reasonably good starts, leaving Sunrisers at 28 for 2 in the fifth over.
SRH scored just 11 in three overs before the openers milked Wayne Parnell for 16 runs.
However, off-spinner Michael Bracewell struck twice, removing both the openers in his first three balls. While Abhishek hit straight to Lomror at cover, Tripathi found the fine leg fielder off his slog paddle sweep.
Klaasen hammered three fours off Shahbaz Ahmed to power the Sunrisers to 49 for 2 in the powerplay.
Klassen rocked back and pulled every time the ball was short as Bracewell and Harshal Patel was sent across the ropes, while Karn Sharma was dispatched for a 74-metre six.
Karn Sharma was then punished for bowling over-pitched with Klaasen depositing him into the stands. The South African completed his fifty in 24 balls.
While Klaasen was in full flow, Markram managed just run-a-ball 18 before his off stump was pegged back by Shahbaz while he looked for a reverse hit.
Back in the playing XI, Brook then picked up a four and six off Karn Sharma, who bled 21 runs, with Klaasen too lifting him over cover.
Du Plessis' decision to make Shahbaz bowl the 17th over backfired as Klaasen clobbered the first two balls over the bowler's head, while Brook sent one fine.
Parnell nailed the yorkers to concede just seven runs in the next over but Klaasen then plundered Harshal over his head to bring up his hundred. He was dismissed one ball latter while looking for another big shot.
Mohammed Siraj conceded just four runs and took a wicket in the last over.
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Rahul's exhilarating 152 powers DC to 264/2
New Delhi (PTI): KL Rahul blended grace with power to script a stroke-filled 152, the third-highest individual IPL score, while Nitish Rana (91) batted with authority as the duo powered hosts Delhi Capitals to a mammoth 264 for 2 against Punjab Kings here on Saturday.
Setting a target for the first time this season, the Capitals came out with clear intent, attacking anything in their arc from the outset.
The home team hit a total of 29 fours and 13 sixes to put on board the highest total of the 2026 IPL season.
Striking at over 200 throughout the 20 overs, Rahul (152 off 67 balls) unfurled a range of classical strokes all around the ground, seamlessly combining timing with aggression to put up the highest-score ever by an Indian in the IPL.
With the knock, he also became only the third player to go beyond 150-run mark after Chris Gayle (175) and Brendon McCullum (158).
Dropped on 18 by Shashank Singh, he made full use of the reprieve, forging a 220-run stand with local boy Rana for the second wicket. It was second biggest stand in IPL history behind 229 set by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
Rana looked completely at ease on his home ground. His 44-ball knock, laced with 11 fours and 4 sixes, provided the perfect foil as the duo kept the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace.
Rahul set the tone early, striking back-to-back boundaries in the second over before Pathum Nissanka chipped in with a crisp four.
Although Punjab struck an early blow with Nissanka top-edging to the keeper, their bowlers found little respite thereafter. They were also guilty of a few misfields, which only added to their woes.
Rahul and Rana seized control, punishing anything loose and propelling Delhi to 68 for one, DC's best powerplay score of the season before plundering 145 runs in the middle overs.
Rana then shifted gears in spectacular fashion, taking apart Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett in the 12th over for 28 runs.
The left-hander dealt exclusively in boundaries, smashing two sixes and four fours in a sequence of 6,4,4,4,4,6.
At the other end, Rahul was equally ruthless, taking a liking to Vijaykumar Vyshak in the 16th over, from which he plundered three sixes and a four, as Delhi tightened their grip on the contest.
