Holder bags three as Giants crush Sunrisers

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Jason Holder made an instant impact, holding his nerve to snatch three wickets in the last over and propel Lucknow Super Giants to a 12-run victory over Nicholas Pooran’s Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Monday.

In his first game of the Indian Premier League since arriving after the Test series against England in the Caribbean, the 30-year-old seamer finished with three for 34, helping Super Giants defend 169 at the DY Patil Sports Academy.

With Sunrisers requiring 15 runs from the final over, Holder got the dangerous Washington Sundar (18) to hole out to long on off the first delivery, before conceding singles off his next two balls.

Needing a boundary to keep the run chase alive, Bhuvneshwar Kumar skied a slower ball to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock for one, and a single off the next ball meant Sunrisers were beaten.

Holder finished off the game when he had West Indies teammate Romario Shepherd caught at point for eight off the last delivery of the contest, Sunrisers finishing on 157 for nine.

Rahul Tripathi had earlier top-scored with 44 from 30 balls, including five fours and a six, putting on 44 for the third wicket with South Africa’s Aiden Markram (12), while West Indies batting star Pooran made an entertaining 34 from 24 balls, with three fours and two sixes in a 48-run, fifth-wicket stand with Sundar.

But Man of the Match fast bowler Avesh Khan (4-24), who had removed both openers, returned to strike key blows – including the wicket of Pooran, caught at long off in the 18th over.

Sent in, Super Giants got a top score of 68 off 50 deliveries from skipper KL Rahul, while Deepak Hooda smashed 51 from 33 balls.

With the innings tottering on 27 for three in the fifth over, the pair came together in an 87-run, fourth-wicket stand to see their side to a competitive total.

Evin Lewis made only one, missing a sweep at off-spinner Sundar and perishing lbw in the fourth over.

Fast-bowler Shepherd finished with two for 42, but gave up 17 runs off the final over as Super Giants settled on 169 for seven off their 20 overs.