In a thrilling display of batting at Delhi, Heinrich Klaasen stole the spotlight with a sensational century, reaching his hundred in just 37 balls. It stands as the joint-third fastest century in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), as he guided Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to an imposing total of 278 for 3 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Klaasen’s innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting, peppered with nine towering sixes and seven boundaries. His blistering 17-ball fifty, clocked at a strike rate of 300, signalled his intent early on. Smashing anything too short or full, Klaasen finished unbeaten on 105 from just 39 deliveries.
Before Klaasen’s fireworks, it was Travis Head who set the groundwork for SRH. His commanding 76 off 40 balls, including a 26-ball fifty, helped SRH to 79 without loss in the powerplay. Head’s partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who contributed 32 from 16 balls, ensured SRH capitalised on KKR’s erratic start, reaching 109 for 1 by the eighth over.
An correct length eluded KKR’s bowlers throughout, with pace duo Anrich Nortje and Vaibhav Arora proving costly early on. Even veteran spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy struggled to contain the batsmen. Narine did manage a moment of control, dismissing Head in the 13th over while conceding just a single boundary-free over since the innings’ start. However, Klaasen soon countered, dispatching Narine for two sixes, pushing SRH’s score past 200 in the 15th over.
Ishan Kishan further steadied the innings with a vital 29-ball 40, expertly rotating the strike. Meanwhile, Klaasen’s aggressive approach persisted, with the duo compiling a swift 50-run partnership in just 20 balls. Aniket Verma’s quick 12 not out from six balls, featuring a four and a six, ensured SRH finished strongly. Klaasen brought up his century off the last ball of the 19th over, and SRH’s final score stood as the third-highest in IPL annals.
KKR’s evening was epitomised by Nortje’s expensive four overs, which conceded 60 runs, and Chakravarthy’s three overs that yielded 54. According to ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster, SRH held a commanding 91% chance of victory at the innings’ break.
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx
