Umran Malik's final-over heroics seal fourth win on trot for SRH
Navi Mumbai, Apr 17: Young pace sensation Umran Malik's scorching final over proved to be the difference as Sunrisers Hyderabad slayed Punjab Kings by seven wickets for their fourth successive win in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday.
In top gear with Liam Livingstone's counter-attacking 60 off 30 balls (5x4, 4x6), PBKS lost five wickets in seven balls with Malik (4/28) producing a perfect final over -- a rare four-wicket maiden -- to skittle out the opposition for a below-par 151.
After Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/22) provided the key breakthrough of Livingstone, the 22-year-old uncapped pacer picked three wickets while the fourth came via run out to derail PBKS.
In reply, Sunrisers Hyderabad did not have a perfect start and lost skipper Kane Williamson (3) early in the fourth over with Kagiso Rabada drawing the first blood.
Opener Abhishek Sharma (31 off 25 balls; 3x4, 1x6) and in-form Rahul Tripathi (34 from 22b; 4x4, 1x6) failed to convert their starts but the modest total meant that SRH did not have to worry much in the end.
Windies wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran (41 not out from 27b; 4X4, 1x6) and Aiden Markram (35 not out from 30b; 1x4, 1x6) then completed the formalities with an unbroken 75-run partnership from 50 balls.
Playing without their regular skipper Mayank Agarwal, who suffered a toe-injury during training, PBKS were also let down with their sloppy fielding as they missed a runout and conceded easy runs defending a small total.
Markram finished off the chase in the penultimate over hitting Vaibhav Arora for consecutive boundaries and six to seal the issue with seven balls to spare.
The win took SRH to eight points, moving up from the middle-table rush to climb to fourth spot, while PBKS remained on seventh with six points from as many matches.
Earlier Livingstone, who was the most expensive overseas player in this season's IPL auction with a price tag of Rs 11.50-crore, resurrected the PBKS innings with a counter-attacking 60 off 30 balls (5x4, 4x6) -- his third fifty in four matches.
Reduced to 61/4 inside eight overs after being put in, Livingstone found a perfect ally in No 6 batter Shahrukh Khan (26 off 28 balls; 1x4, 2x6) as the duo stitched together 71 from 49 balls to revive them in the middle overs.
On a slow pitch where scoring was difficult early on, Livingstone did not have any trouble as he had shots all over the pitch.
But the momentum shifted heavily in favour of SRH after Bhuvneshwar (3/22) provided the key breakthrough of Livingstone as PBKS lost five wickets in seven balls with Malik (4/28) producing a perfect final over.
Malik first had Odean Smith with a slower one before castling Rahul Chahar and Vaibhav Arora in successive deliveries.
Punjab without their skipper and opener Mayank Agarwal had an anxious start and lost two wickets inside five overs including that of stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan (8).
Punjab kept losing wickets and were soon reduced to 33/2 inside five overs when Livingstone came in to take charge of the proceedings.
There were more to follow as Jonny Bairstow (12) and Jitesh Sharma (11) departed in successive overs but Livingstone and Shahrukh held on to turn it around in the middle overs.
Brief scores:
Punjab Kings 151 all out in 20 overs (Livingstone 60; Bhuvneshhwar 3/22, Malik 4/28).
SRH 152/3 in 18.5 overs (Pooran 35 not out, Markram 41 not out).
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Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra ties knot with tennis player Himani Mor
New Delhi: Javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra, one of India's most eligible bachelors, tied the knot with tennis player Himani Mor couple of days back in an intimate ceremony that has taken everyone by surprise.
The 27-year-old Chopra announced the marriage with the 25-year-old Himani, who hails from Haryana's Sonipat, on his social media handles.
"I began a new chapter of my life with my family. Grateful for every blessing that brought us to this moment together. Bound by love, happily ever after," Chopra wrote in a post with the pictures of the marriage ceremony.
Chopra's uncle Bhim told PTI that the marriage took place in the country and the couple has left for honeymoon.
Daughter of Chand Ram, Mor is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Sports Management (Major) at the Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire. She is an alumni of Delhi's Miranda House where she completed her bachelors degree in Political Science and Physical Education. He has a brother, Himanshu who is also a tennis player.
She participated at the 2017 World University Games in Taipei after competing at the national level for Delhi University. Her school website says she won a gold medal in the World Junior Tennis Championship held in Malaysia in 2016.
"Yes, the marriage took place in India two days back. I can't tell the place where it took place," Bhim told from his village at Khandra near Panipat in Haryana.
"The girl is from Sonipat and she is studying in the US. They have left the country for honeymoon and I am not aware of the places where they are going. We wanted to keep it like that," said Bhim, who stays with the Olympic double medallist at Khandra, when asked about the surprise development.
According to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) website, Himani's carrer best national ranking was 42 in singles and 27 in doubles in 2018. She started playing in 2018 only in AITA events.
Mor did her schooling at Little Angels School in Sonipat.
Amherst College in Massachusetts also lists her as an assistant coach of women's tennis as most major students can do some other job, along with study.
Chopra, who won a gold in Tokyo Olympics and a silver in the Paris Game, was earlier training in South Africa after he roped in world record holder javelin legend Jan Zelezny of Czech Republic.
