Bairstow, Warner tons pummel Bangalore

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow struck respective centuries to lead Hyderabad to their highest-ever total of 231/2 against Bangalore.

For the third time this season, the opening combination of Jonny Bairstow and David Warner was on a roll, registering yet another century-plus stand which paved the way for Hyderabad’s colossal 231 for 2 against Bangalore. (READ: Match Highlights)

Bairstow and Warner helped Hyderabad notch up their highest opening partnership of 185 the Indian T20 League, with both batsmen punishing Bangalore with respective centuries. This is only the second time in the history of the Indian T20 League that two centuries were scored in an innings after Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers had pummelled Gujarat Lions in 2016. (READ: Burman youngest to play Indian T20 League)

From the moment Bairstow struck the second ball of the innings from Moeen Ali for a crunching boundary, the tempo was set. Bairstow took 14 off the first over off his England teammate and hammered back-to-back boundaries off Mohammed Siraj in the second over. A fierce cut for a boundary brought up Hyderabad’s 50 inside five overs.

Then came the spinners towards whom Bairstow was even more merciless. Prayas Ray Barman, the youngest debutant in the tournament’s history was creamed for three boundaries in his second over, the third one bringing up Bairstow’s maiden Indian T20 League half-century off 28 balls.

Warner happily took the backseat and opted to enjoy the fireworks from the other end after smacking a boundary and a six off his first three deliveries. What stood out was the low number of dot balls consumed by the two (14 till the first 12 overs). While the boundaries were taken care of by Bairstow, Warner ensured they ran hard. At least 10 doubles were taken, of which seven instances looked to be sure-shot singles. But Warner pushed hard, and a double is what brought up his half-century off 32 balls.

It was after he had crossed his fifty that Warner accelerated. He and Bairstow took 20 off Barman’s final over, who finished with rather forgettable figures of 0/56 from 4 overs, 50 of which came off his final three.

Bairstow was in no mood to let his guard down and continued his relentless attack before finally a ball managed to take the edge of his bat. Yuzvendra Chahal dropped it slow and gave it air, and Bairstow, lining himself up for an eighth six, edged a heave to a diving Umesh Yadav running in from backward point. Post his dismissal, it was Warner’s turn to entertain the home crowd. A thumping six down the ground off Siraj brought up the 200 for Hyderabad before Vijay Shankar was run-out next ball.

Every bowler went at over 9.5 an over but it was Umesh who Warner decided to go after. A boundary and a six brought up Hyderabad’s highest-ever total. Warner continued to extract doubles in extremely hit conditions, and having struck back-to-back fifties in the last two games, the opener bettered it with a century off the last over – his third at the venue. He joins Shane Watson and Kohli as players with four centuries – the second-most after Chris Gayle‘s six.

Brief Scores: Hyderabad 231 for 2 (Jonny Bairstow 114, David Warner 100*; Yuzvendra Chahal 1 for 44) against Bangalore.