Key Points
Ishan Kishan dazzled with a rapid 106* as SRH scored 286/6
Harbhajan praised Kishan saying MI missed out
SRH maintains an aggressive batting reputation from past seasons
Rajasthan Royals contended but succumbed to a 44-run loss
In their campaign opener, SRH stayed true to their destructive nature and decimated Rajasthan Royals on Hyderabad's batting paradise.
After Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head set the tempo with a belligerent start, Kishan came in to enchant the spectators with his all-out attacking approach. He got off the mark with a boundary off an outside edge but found the middle of the bat on the next ball and never looked back.
He pulled out a wide array of shots laced with raw power and raced to fifty in 25 balls. Then, he peeled off his maiden IPL ton just 20 deliveries later.
He briefly switched off his turbo mode and broke into a sprint to celebrate his special moment. Kishan remained unbeaten at 106 as Sunrisers roared to a mammoth total of 286/6, the second-highest in the tournament's history.
Harbhajan felt that Mumbai Indians, who lost their campaign opener against Chennai Super Kings later on Sunday, had missed a trick by letting the 26-year-old southpaw go.
"I felt MI lost twice today. They lost their game, and the player (Ishan) they left played a sensational knock for SRH," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
Harbhajan believes that Sunrisers' fiery form with the bat, similar to their approach in the previous edition, makes them the most "dangerous" team in the ongoing 18th edition of the cash-rich league.
"This team is the most dangerous. Ishan made a comeback and showed everyone his true capability. He made me his fan," he added.
In reply to Hyderabad's 286/6, Sanju Samson (66) and Dhruv Jurel (70) put up a valiant fight for RR. However, the required rate soared to unreachable heights. Despite battling till the last delivery, Rajasthan Royals succumbed to a 44-run defeat.
