MOHALI: Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera steered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Trinidad & Tobago in the Champions League T20 here on Tuesday night.
Chasing a formidable 161 to win, Perera swashbuckling innings of 57 not out saw the Indian team home with three balls to spare.
Perera came to the crease with the Sunrisers needing 90 more to win in just over 10 overs and smashed an unbeaten 57 in just 32 balls, with four fours and as many sixes.
He was the ultimate counter to T&T’s spearhead, Sunil Narine, who finished with stunning figures of four wickets for nine runs in his quota of four overs.
Narine picked up two wickets in his final over, the 18th of the innings, which brought his team back into the reckoning.
At the other end, however, was medium pacer Rayad Emrit, who leaked 57 in four overs as Perera, with a little assistance from tail-ender Karan Sharma (13 not out), took his team over the line.
Man-of-the-Match Perera had earlier bowled splendidly to pick up two wickets when T&T batted, dismissing Denesh Ramdin (21) and Navin Stewart (17).
Darren Bravo was the top-scorer of the match, making 66 for T&T off just 44 deliveries as he anchored the innings.
Hyderabad’s star fast bowlers, Dale Steyn (4-0-41-1) and Ishant Sharma (4-0-36-2) were a little expensive, and it was Darren Sammy, with his medium pace, that proved more of a problem for Trinidad.
Sammy took 2-21 in four overs. He also contributed with 15 runs when Sunrisers came to bat.
The team from Hyderabad are now at the top of Group B with eight points. (PTI)
SCORECARD
Trinidad & Tobago:
L Simmons c Patel b Steyn 0
E Lewis c Patel b I Sharma 22
DM Bravo c Dhawan b Ishant 66
J Mohammed b Sammy 19
D Ramdin c Steyn b Perera 21
N Pooran c Patel b Sammy 6
N Stewart b Perera 17
S Narine run out 0
R Emrit not out 3
S Badree not out 1
Extras: (lb-1, w-3, nb-1) 5
Total: (8 wkts; 20 overs) 160
FOW: 1-0, 2-49, 3-110, 4-110, 5-124, 6-153, 7-154, 8-156
Bowling: Steyn 4-0-41-1, Ishant 4-0-36-2, Vihari 1-0-8-0, Perera 4-0-26-2, Mishra 3-0-27-0, Sammy 4-0-21-2
Sunrisers:
P Patel c Stewart b Narine 17
S Dhawan c & b Stewart 23
JP Duminy run out 17
H Vihari st Ramdin b Narine 13
T Perera not out 57
D Sammy c Badree b Narine 15
AA Reddy c & b Narine 0
K Sharma not out 13
Extras: (lb-2, w-4, nb-3) 9
Total: (6 wkts, 19.3 overs) 164
FOW: 1-35, 2-45, 3-70, 4-95, 5-142, 6-142
Bowling: Rampaul 4-0-39-0, Badree 4-0-25-0, Emrit 4-0-57-0, Narine 4-1-9-4, Stewart 3.3-0-32-1
