Warner, Shankar guide Sunrisers Hyderabad into IPL play-offs

Defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad cruised into the Indian Premier League play-offs with an easy eight-wicket victory over Gujarat Lions riding on a throughly professional team performance.

After pacer Mohammed Siraz and Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan played a key role in dismissing Lions for a paltry 154 in 19.2 overs despite a century opening stand, skipper David Warner (69, 52 balls) and Vijay Shankar (63, 44 balls) anchored the chase to perfection with 11 balls to spare.

Sunrisers thus finished their league campaign with 17 points from 14 games.

Gujarat Lions' forgettable season after a questionable team composition for the better part of the tournament saw them finish the engagements at second last place with 8 points.

It was a 133-run third wicket stand between Warner and Tamil Nadu one-day captain Shankar that sealed the issue after Shikhar Dhawan (18) and Moises Henriques (4) were dismissed cheaply.

They never showed any urgency yet got their boundaries without ever letting the scoreboard pressure bother them.

Warner hit nine boundaries while Shankar also smashed nine fours, matching his skipper stroke for stroke.

In fact, such was the ease that Sunrisers batsmen didn't hit a single six but the 23 boundaries were enough for their successful run chase.

Pradeep Sangwan was easy pickings for Shankar as the Sunrisers batsman hit him for some impressive pull shots whenever he pitched it short.

Leg spinner Ankit Soni (0/31 in 2.1 overs) -- one of the questionable selections this season -- was hammered whenever he pitched it short. Soni, who couldn't even make it to Mumbai U-23 squad, looked out of place throughout the tournament.

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Lions:

Lions: 154 (Ishan Kishan 61, Dwayne Smith 54, Praveen Kumar (2/22)

SRH: 158/2 (David Warner 69, Vijay Shankar 63, Mohammed Siraj 4/32). Agencies