CLT20: As it happened - Shikhar Dhawan, Parthiv Patel power Sunrisers Hyderabad to an 8-wicket win over Kandurata Maroons

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat the Kandurata Maroons in Mohali by 8 wickets in a bid to qualify for the Champions League T20 2013 main draw. Catch the match as it happened here: (Scorecard | Commentary)

23:09 (IST): Shikhar Dhawan is a happy man after the game. "It was a good total but I knew that this total could be chased down. However, chasing at this ground is very easy. It was a good first day as captain but I have a lot to learn. I am enjoying it. I thought this wicket assisted the pacers more. I thought I could use Amit Mishra more and I could not. There were a lot of left-handers in the Kandurata team," he said.

 

23:02 (IST): And that's it. The match is over. Hyderabad seal it comfortably and Kandurata's bowling fails to make an impact.

 

22:50 (IST): Shikhar Dhawan (71) is out trying to reverse sweep Ajantha Mendis. Hyderabad 136/2 in 16.1 overs; Target: 169. Another wicket, but Hyderabad still way ahead in the match.

 

22:45 (IST): Kandurata more or less going through the motions as they need something special to get back into the game. Hyderabad 136/1 in 16 overs; Target: 169.

 

22:37 (IST): Parthiv Patel (52) is caught at long on by Jayaratne off Shehan. Hyderabad 121/1 in 13.5 overs; Target: 169. Finally a wicket, but it may be too little too late.

 

22:31 (IST): Both openers reach their half-centuries and Hyderabad are running away with the game. Hyderabad 110/0 in 12 overs; Target: 169.

 

22:20 (IST): Hyderabad in total command as Dhawan and Parthiv continue to milk the Kandurata bowling. Hyderabad 92/0 in 10 overs; Target: 169.

 

22:05 (IST): Shikhar Dhawan and Parthiv Patel going great guns as the fifty comes up in the 6th over. Hyderabad 58/0 in 6 overs, Target: 169.

 

21:46 (IST): Sunrisers Hyderabad need a good start from Shikhar Dhawan and Parthiv Patel as they go about chasing their target of 169.

 

21:28 (IST): Lahiru Thirimanne (54) and Kumar Sangakkara (61*) boost Kandurata Maroons to 168/3 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. It will be a tough chase for Hyderabad but they do have the firepower to chase down this total.

 

21:15 (IST): Kumar Sangakkara hits 50 off 36 balls with 6 fours against Hyderabad. Kandurata 145/3 in 17.3 overs. With a mixture of innovation and good technique, he has been able to pierce the gaps and push up the scoring rate.

 

21:06 (IST): Lahiru Thirimanne (54) is bowled by Ishant Sharma. The ball keeps low and the batsman is castled. Kandurata 122/3 in 15.5 overs.

 

21:03 (IST): Lahiru Thirimanne leads by example as he reaches fifty from 37 balls. A good knock under pressure. Kandurata 117/2 in 15.2 overs.

 

20:56 (IST): Both Sangakkara and Thirimanne are now cutting lose as Hyderabad seem to have no answer to their strokeplay. Kandurata 103/2 in 14 overs.

 

20:44 (IST): Sangakkara and Thirimanne, having got their eye in, are looking to go big in the second half of the innings. Kandurata 75/2 in 10 overs.

 

20:33 (IST): JP Duminy comes on to bowl and it's a decent first over conceding just 5 runs. Kandurata 48/2 in 8 overs.

 

20:23 (IST): Shehan Jayasuriya (4) is caught behind by Parthiv Patel off Darren Sammy. Kandurata 33/2 in 5 overs. So both openers are now back in the hut.

 

20:17 (IST): Upul Tharanga (19) is caught behind by Parthiv Patel off Ishant Sharma. Kandurata 25/1 in 3.3 overs. Kumar Sangakkara comes out to bat against his IPL team.

 

20:11 (IST): Upul Tharanga and Shehan Jayasuriya getting the innings off to a brisk start as Kandurata look to make the most of the powerplay overs.

 

20:00 (IST): Dale Steyn steams in for the first ball and Upul Tharanga is happy to let it go down the leg side for a wide.

 

19:59 (IST): The players are walking out on to the field. The Hyderabad team huddles before dispersing and the Kandurata openers walk out into the middle.

 

19:44 (IST): The teams are as follows:

Kandurata (Playing XI): Shehan Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Chamara Silva, Thilina Kandamby, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lahiru Jayaratne, Ajantha Mendis

Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan (c), Parthiv Patel (wk), Jean-Paul Duminy, Biplab Samantray, Darren Sammy, Thisara Perera, Ashish Reddy, Karan Sharma, Amit Mishra, Dale Steyn, Ishant Sharm

 

19:31 (IST): Sunrisers Hyderabad opt to field against Kandurata Maroons in Mohali. Shikhar Dhawan is high on confidence but Lahiru Thrimmanne feels that his team have the matchwinners to post a challenge.

 

19:20 (IST): The Hyderabad players are warming up and look full of confidence ahead of the match. They will look to exploit the home conditions to the full.

 

19:03 (IST): This tournament expects some big fireworks from some of the best players in the business. A closer look in pics at the Top 10 players expected to light up the stage.

 

18:53 (IST): New Zealand's Otago Volts have just beaten Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves by 8 wickets in the first qualifier in Mohali. Skipper Brendon McCullum leads from the front with an unbeaten 83. Catch the match as it happened here.

 

18:47 (IST): Kumar Sangakkara seems confident ahead of the game and believes his team has the firepower to compete with the big teams in the tournament.

 

18:43 (IST): The Hyderabad team has arrived at the stadium. Their skipper Shikhar Dhawan is seen listening to music as he deboards the bus.

 

18:41 (IST): The Mohali pitch is historically lively and had been known for the pace and bounce it offers. In recent years though, the track has slowed down considerably to resemble a dust-bowl, offering a lot of turn to spinners as well.

 

18:30 (IST): Sunrisers Hyderabad played the 2009 edition of the CLT20 when they were known as Deccan Chargers. They had won the IPL that year.

 

18:10 (IST): The presence of Kumar Sangakkara for Kandurata Maroons is significant after he opted to play for his home side ahead of his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad. He maintained that he was not anti-national and his loyalty should not be questioned. (Read)

 

Eight teams are already in the main draw of the Champions League T20. With just two spots left, the four teams in contention shall have to battle it out to earn a place in the tournament. It will be a mini battle before the big boys take over but for the teams aiming to qualify, its a do-or-die situation.

For Hyderabad, they are out to prove that their performance in the Indian Premier League was no flash in the pan. Kandurata, on the other hand shall hope to ruffle a few feathers. Kandurata wear a formidable look with a host of current internationals. The biggest draw is Kumar Sangakkara, who was almost hounded into choosing the Sri Lankan franchise ahead of Hyderabad, whom he led sporadically during IPL VI. Captained by Lahiru Thirimanne, the stylish left-hand batsman, Kandurata boast such proven performers as Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, Suraj Randiv, Thilina Kandamby, Dhammika Prasad and Chamara Silva, and will quietly fancy their chances of making a strong pitch for the next round.

Hyderabad, who have opted for an Indian captain in Shikhar Dhawan and who have a brilliant all-round talent in Thisara Perera, himself a Sri Lankan. Hyderabad's batting was their Achilles' heel during the IPL, especially in the early stages when Dhawan was missing with a fractured finger, but what they lacked in batting firepower, they more than made up with incisive bowling with Dale Steyn at the forefront. Steyn, Ishant Sharma, Darren Sammy, Perera and the two legspinners Amit Mishra and Karan Sharma consistently proved a handful for all comers. They can do with a little more help from the batting group, fortified by the inclusion of JP Duminy, who missed the IPL through injury. If Dhawan continues his exceptional recent run and Duminy brings his explosive batting to the party, Hyderabad's bowlers will breathe a little easy in the knowledge that they don't have to do all the running.