IPL 2020, SRH vs KKR: As Shubman Gill scores 70 not out, Indians continues to dominate this season

Shubman Gill's unbeaten 70 helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by seven wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 meeting on Saturday.

During their chase of 143, KKR got off to a poor start, as they lost early wickets of Sunil Narine and Nitesh Rana inside five overs. While the West Indian all-rounder got out for a two-ball duck, Rana managed a 13-ball 26. Even KKR captain Dinesh Karthik failed to score a single run, but the team rode to the finish line, courtesy of a crucial 92-run stand between Eoin Morgan and Gill.

The World Cup-winning skipper, Morgan, scored a quick-fire 42 off 29 balls and his knock was inclusive of three fours and two sixes. Gill, on the other hand, hit two sixes and five fours in his 62-ball 70.

In the list of top scores in IPL 2020, Gill is placed seven, and interestingly, out of the top seven, six are Indians. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) skipper KL Rahul, who holds the record of the highest individual score so far this season, having smashed 132 not out off 69 balls, achieved that against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The other batsmen on IPL 2020's best top scorers' list are KXIP's Mayank Agarwal (89), Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Rohit Sharma (80), Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson (74), Chennai Super Kings' duo of Faf du Plessis (72) and Ambati Rayudu (71).

Earlier, SRH captain David Warner won the toss and chose to bat. KKR pacer Pat Cummins drew first blood as he dismissed in-form batsman Jonny Bairstow in the fourth over and left SRH at 24 for 1. Warner looked good in the initial overs but failed to convert the start into a good knock as he was sent back for 36 off 30 balls.

While Manish Pandey received some support from Wriddhiman Saha in the middle overs, the latter did not last long. Pandey fought a lone battle before Andre Russell brought an end to his innings in the 18th over. Pandey hit two sixes and three fours in his 38-ball 51.

"I think the ball wasn't spinning much and was easy to hit down the ground. I have practised power hitting in the last couple of years. I think it was important for us to win. We bowled really and we had to back it up with a good performance. There weren't any long conversations with Morgan. We were just trying to anticipate what the bowlers can try and do. As an opener, it is my duty to see my team through," 21-year-old Gill, who was awarded the Player of the Match, said at the post-match presentation in Abu Dhabi.

With their seven-wicket to KKR, SRH are the only side to have not won a single match this IPL season so far. The warner-led side has a five-day gap before they take on MS Dhoni's CSK on Friday in Dubai. KKR next face off against RR on Wednesday.