Sunrisers Hyderabad celebrates after winning the IPL 2016 Finals
Chasing a big target, RCB looked in control but lost their way under pressure and fell short by just 8 runs. It was another chance missed and more heartbreak for their supporters. On the other hand, it was a night to remember for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Led by David Warner, they lifted their first IPL trophy and made history. Let’s take a look back at what happened in that thrilling final between the two teams at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The IPL 2016 final on May 29 at Bengaluru saw Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 8 runs. SRH posted 208/7 in 20 overs, and RCB managed 200/7, falling short. SRH won the toss and opted to bat. David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan opened, scoring 7 runs in the first over off Sreenath Aravind. Warner punched a single, and Dhawan glanced a four. Chris Gayle’s second over yielded 5 runs, with Warner tucking a single and Dhawan driving one to long-off. A fumble by Gayle allowed a single, and two wides added to SRH’s 12/0 after 2 overs.
Aravind’s third over cost 9 runs as Warner hit two fours, flaying one through covers and pulling another over midwicket, taking SRH to 21/0. Gayle’s fourth over gave 6 runs, with Dhawan lofting a four over the bowler, reaching 27/0. Shane Watson’s fifth over was expensive, leaking 19 runs. Warner smashed a six over cover and a four through point, while Dhawan lofted a six over mid-off, pushing SRH to 46/0. Gayle’s sixth over added 13 runs, with Warner capping the powerplay with a six to long-on, taking SRH to 59/0. Warner had 31 off 14, Dhawan 25 off 22.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s seventh over broke the stand, dismissing Dhawan for 28 off 25 balls, 3 fours, 1 six, caught by Chris Jordan at deep square leg off a googly, leaving SRH at 65/1. Moises Henriques joined Warner, adding a single. Iqbal Abdulla’s eighth over cost 10 runs, with Warner hitting a six over long-on, reaching 75/1. Chahal’s ninth over gave 13 runs, including Warner’s four through covers and another off a cut, reaching his 24-ball fifty while a dropped catch by KL Rahul off Warner cost a bye, taking SRH to 88/1.
Chris Jordan’s tenth over yielded 9 runs but removed Henriques for 4 off 5, caught by Chahal at midwicket, making it 97/2. Warner’s 61 off 30 included 7 fours and 3 sixes. Yuvraj Singh arrived, and SRH reached 103/2 after Watson’s 11th over, where Yuvraj drove a four. Jordan’s 12th over added 13 runs, with Yuvraj whipping a four and lofting a six over backward square leg, taking SRH to 116/2.
Chahal’s 13th over was tight, giving 4 runs, with Yuvraj and Warner adding singles, reaching 120/2. Aravind’s 14th over removed Warner for 69 off 38, 8 fours, 3 sixes, caught by Abdulla at short third man, leaving SRH at 127/3. Deepak Hooda scored a single. Chahal’s 15th over cost 13 runs, with Yuvraj hitting a six over long-off and a four through cover, taking SRH to 140/3.
Aravind’s 16th over gave 7 runs but dismissed Hooda for 3 off 6, caught by Kohli at long-on, making it 147/4. Jordan’s 17th over removed Yuvraj for 38 off 23, 4 fours, 2 sixes, caught by Watson at extra cover, leaving SRH at 156/5. Naman Ojha scored 7 off 4, including a four, before Watson’s 17th over run-out, hitting the stumps, made it 168/6. Cutting’s six and four in the same over kept SRH alive.
Jordan’s 18th over cost 16 runs, dismissing Bipul Sharma for 5 off 3, caught by Chahal, but Cutting’s four and five wides pushed SRH to 184/7. Watson’s final over leaked 24 runs, with Cutting smashing three sixes, including a 117-meter hit, and a four, finishing SRH at 208/7. Cutting’s 39 off 15, 3 fours, 4 sixes, was crucial. Aravind took 2/30, Jordan 3/45, Chahal 1/35, but Watson’s 0/61 hurt RCB.
Chasing 209, RCB opened with Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who gave 5 runs in the first over, including Kohli’s edged four and a leg bye, reaching 5/0. Barinder Sran’s second over cost 13 runs, with Gayle’s six down the ground and two twos, plus two wides, taking RCB to 18/0. Bhuvneshwar’s third over added 8 runs, with Gayle’s inside-edged four and a single, reaching 26/0. Sran’s fourth over was costly, leaking 16 runs, as Gayle hit a six over long-on and a four over midwicket, taking RCB to 42/0. Gayle had 32 off 19, 2 fours, 3 sixes.
Ben Cutting’s fifth over gave 13 runs, with Gayle’s six over third man and a four to midwicket, pushing RCB to 55/0. Mustafizur Rahman’s sixth over was tight, conceding 4 runs, with Kohli’s two and a single, leaving RCB at 59/0, Gayle on 44 off 24. Moises Henriques’ seventh over saw Gayle reach his 25-ball fifty with a six, adding 10 runs, taking RCB to 69/0. Cutting’s eighth over gave 10 runs, with Gayle’s six over the bowler and two singles, reaching 79/0. Henriques’ ninth over was expensive, leaking 21 runs, with Gayle’s two sixes and a four, taking RCB to 100/0. Gayle had 74 off 34, 4 fours, 8 sixes.
Mustafizur’s tenth over cost 12 runs, with Kohli’s four and six, reaching 112/0. Cutting’s 11th over removed Gayle for 76 off 38, caught by Bipul Sharma at third man, making it 120/1. Kohli’s four and two followed. Bipul Sharma’s 12th over gave 9 runs, with AB de Villiers’ single and Kohli’s four, taking RCB to 129/1. Sran’s 13th over dismissed Kohli for 54 off 35, 5 fours, and 2 sixes, bowled via an inside edge, leaving RCB at 141/2. Rahul’s single followed. Bipul’s 14th over removed de Villiers for 5 off 6, caught by Henriques, making it 149/3. Rahul’s four and single took RCB to 149/3.
Henriques’ 15th over gave 9 runs, with Watson’s six and singles, reaching 158/3. Cutting’s 16th over was tight, giving 4 runs but dismissing Rahul for 11 off 9, bowled by an off-cutter, leaving RCB at 162/4. Mustafizur’s 17th over removed Watson for 11 off 9, caught by Henriques, making it 172/5. Stuart Binny’s six and a single followed. Bhuvneshwar’s 18th over gave 7 runs, with Baby’s four and a leg bye, reaching 179/5. Mustafizur’s 19th over cost 12 runs, with Binny’s run-out for 9 off 7 and Baby’s six, taking RCB to 191/6. Chris Jordan’s two and a dropped catch by Sran featured.
Bhuvneshwar’s final over conceded 9 runs, with Jordan’s run-out for 3 off 4, caught short by Naman Ojha, and Abdulla’s four off the last ball, finishing RCB at 200/7, and hence gave SRH their maiden IPL Title. Baby’s 18 off 10, 1 four, 1 six, wasn’t enough. Bhuvneshwar’s 4/25, Mustafizur’s 1/37, and Cutting’s 2/35 were pivotal. Sran took 1/41, Bipul 1/17, but Henriques’ 0/40 was costly. RCB needed 15 off the last 3 balls but fell 8 runs short. Gayle’s 76 and Kohli’s 54 gave RCB a strong start, but SRH’s death bowling, led by Bhuvneshwar and Mustafizur, and Cutting’s all-round show (39 and 2 wickets) sealed SRH’s maiden IPL title.