Amidst the crumbling wickets that surrounded him, Shikhar Dhawan emerged as a lone beacon of resilience, crafting an unbeaten 99 to guide Punjab Kings to a competitive total of 143 for 9. The significance of this total grew even greater as Sunrisers Hyderabad found themselves grappling with early setbacks, losing both their openers, Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal, to the devious slower balls that exploited the gripping Hyderabad surface.

However, resilience was not limited to one side, as Rahul Tripathi defied the challenging conditions to notch a lively half-century and propel Sunrisers to their first victory of the season. His well-constructed 63, complemented by an unbroken 100-run partnership alongside skipper Aiden Markram, steered the chase and handed Punjab Kings their inaugural defeat of the season.

Just days after Sunrisers’ seamers were stymied on a spinning black-soil pitch, the tables turned as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and his fellow bowlers thrived on a pace-friendly red-soil track in Hyderabad. Bhuvneshwar made an immediate impact, dismissing Prabhsimran Singh with his first delivery, trapping him leg before wicket for a duck.

Joining the swing party, Roelof van der Merwe struck with his second legal ball, dismantling IPL debutant Matt Short for 1 with a plumb lbw. He continued to pose a threat, earning another lbw appeal against Jitesh Sharma, but the decision was overturned on review. Despite this respite, Sharma soon fell victim to van der Merwe’s relentless pressure, chipping a drive to mid-off.

T Natarajan also got in on the act, generating swing during the powerplay, as Sunrisers’ seam attack dominated proceedings at their home ground.

Once the initial movement subsided, Shikhar Dhawan seized the opportunity to unleash his batting prowess. He confidently employed aggressive strokes, lofting the seamers over the infield. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Mayank Markande, playing his first match for Sunrisers, exploited the conditions to dismantle Punjab Kings’ middle and lower order with his variations.

Despite the upheaval, Dhawan’s masterful strokeplay took center stage, particularly against Natarajan and Umran Malik, as he amassed 61 runs off 31 balls from their bowling. Notably, he achieved his fifty off 42 deliveries by lofting Natarajan for a six over midwicket, and later showcasing his hitting prowess against Malik in the 18th over with consecutive sixes and a boundary.

Throughout his innings, Dhawan survived three dropped catches, but remained unwavering until the end. His partnership with debutant Mohit Rathee, a record-breaking unbroken 55-run stand for the last wicket, bolstered Punjab Kings’ total to a commendable 143 for 9.