David Warner, Jonny Bairstow enter elite league with fantastic centuries vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow rewrote the history books in the Indian Premier League clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium. Warner was already enjoying a brilliant return to form in this tournament while Bairstow was giving him solid support in the first two games. However, against Royal Challengers Bangalore, both batsmen shared a new opening record and both batsmen blasted centuries as Sunrisers Hyderabad reached 231/2 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The opening over of the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings set the tone for the match with both Warner and Bairstow hammering 12 runs in the first over bowled by Moeen Ali.

Both batsmen found the boundaries at regular intervals and in the powerplay, Sunrisers Hyderabad had reached 59/0. After the end of the first powerplay, both batsmen maintained the aggressive tempo and Royal Challengers Bangalore wilted under the pressure. Bairstow started the carnage by hammering a six and two fours off 16-year-old debutant Prayas Ray Barman and in the next over bowled by Colin de Grandhomme, the England player blasted two more sixes.

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Warner matched Bairstow stroke for stroke as both batsmen notched up their milestones. Bairstow reached his maiden ton and the partnership between the duo helped Sunrisers Hyderabad go past 200. In the final over of the innings, Warner reached his landmark with a boundary. In the process, both Warner and Bairstow reached a special mark.

Warner and Bairstow became the fourth duo after Kevin O’Brien and Hamish Marshall, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, Alex Hales and Rilee Rossouw to hit centuries in the same innings. O’Brien and Marshall achieved the feat against Middlesex in Uxbridge in 2011 while Kohli and de Villiers smashed centuries in the IPL clash in 2016 between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions. Roussouw and Hales smashed centuries for Rangpur Riders against Chittagong Kings in the recent Bangladesh Premier League.

The partnership of 185 between Warner and Bairstow was not only the highest for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but it was also the highest opening stand in the history of the Indian Premier League. The stand broke the previous record of 184 set by Chris Lynn and Gautam Gambhir against Gujarat Lions in 2017 in Rajkot. The efforts helped Sunrisers Hyderabad reach 231/2, their highest score in the history of the IPL and the second-highest against Royal Challengers Bangalore, falling behind the mark of 232 set by Kings XI Punjab in Dharamsala in 2011. Overall, this was the 10^th highest score by a team in the IPL.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The 185-run stand is the highest opening stand in the history of the IPL.
• Warner scored his fourth ton while Bairstow scored his maiden ton.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad notched up their highest score in the IPL.