MOHALI, India, CMC- An impressive four wicket haul by mystery spinner Sunil Narine failed to stifle an unrelenting Sunrisers Hyderabad who recaptured the momentum to seal a four wicket win over Trinidad and Tobago in the Champions League T20 here yesterday.
Narine’s four wickets for nine runs in four overs put Trinidad & Tobago in control for the most part of the second innings and in sight of victory at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
However a remarkable fightback led by a stunning counter-attacking half-century from Thisara Perera helped propel Hyderabad safely to 164 for six after the Red Force posted 160 for eight.
Darren Bravo’s 44-ball 66 went in vain as the Trinidadians lost the momentum and conceded their first defeat following their opening win against Brisbane Heat on Sunday.
Bravo smashed five fours and four sixes with Evin Lewis adding 22, captain Denesh Ramdin 21 and Jason Mohammed 19.
Sunrisers started the chase in earnest with captain Shikhar Dhawan at the helm.
But, 25 balls into the innings, the hosts lost their first wicket in Parthiv Patel as Narine struck with his first delivery, having the batsman caught at short third man.
A big wicket came when the dangerous Dhawan was done in by a slower ball form Navin Stewart, who took the return catch and prompted the Caribbean side to break into celebration.
Chasing a stiff target of 161 runs, Sunrisers rode on Perera’s unbeaten knock off 57, which came of just 32 balls, to start the main tournament with a win that came with three balls to spare.
West Indies test and T20 captain Darren Sammy scored 15 and picked up two wickets for 21 runs for Sunrisers.
In the other game, Titans beat Brisbane Heat by four runs to hand the Australians their second defeat.
