Zampa’s 6 for 19 puts Pune in command

It was the first five-wicket haul of this season and best bowling figures for an Australian in T20s as Zampa wrecked havoc on the Sunrisers in the slog overs, claiming six for 19 in his stipulated 4 overs.

The 24-year-old Australian dismissed Yuvraj Singh (23), Kane Williamson (32), Moises Henriques (10), Deepak Hooda (14), Naman Ojha (7) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1) -- all of them perishing in the final overs while trying to go for big shots.

Even as Zampa claimed the second-best figures in all IPLs, fellow spinner R Aswin (1/16) and seamer R P Singh (1/23) also contributed with one wicket each. Earlier electing to bat first, Sunrisers found the going tough from the start as Singh gave Pune a good start by removing the dangerous David Warner (11) early on when he had him caught behind in the 4th over.

Other opener Shikhar Dhawan (33) struck a couple of fours and sixes before holing out to Sourabh Tiwary off R Ashwin at long-on as Hyderabad slipped to 64 for 2 in the 11th over.

Yuvraj Singh (23) tried to step us the run-rate with a 21-ball 23 studded with two sixes and a four but he was sent packing by Zampa when the left-hander attempted to muscle him out of the park only to be caught by Tiwary at Long-off. In the 17th over, Kane Williamson brought up the hundred for his team with a single. The New Zealand skipper blasted three fours in his 37-ball innings before Rajat Bhatia took a running catch at long-off to end his innings. It was Zampa’s second wicket.

Zampa picked up Moises Henrique (10) in the next delivery with Bhatia taking the catch once again as Hyderabad slumped to 114-5 in 18 overs.

In the 19th over, Ashok Dinda bled 15 runs as Hooda and Ojha blasted a six and a four to take Hyderabad to 129-5. In a thrilling last over, Zampa was sent over mid-wicket in the first ball by Hooda but after a brief chat with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Australian had Hooda stumped. 

The leg-spinner then claimed his fifth wicket when Ojha was left cramped for room and deflected the ball onto the stumps. Kumar was then dismissed when he tried to play a slog shot only to be caught by Tiwary at long-on. 

Chasing the target 137/8, set by Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants were 40/2 in first 8 overs requiring another 98 runs with 8 wickets and 12 overs remaining.