Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 1st Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: Indian Premier League, 2017 Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad Date & Time: Apr 05, 08:00 PM LOCAL

The cup that matters... for the next two months atleast © BCCI

SRH WIN

An ecstatic SRH team ©BCCI

If ever, as defending champions, you needed to make a statement, then this was it. Sunrisers Hyderabad came into the game with a lot of pressure, but they have put in a performance of the highest quality.

They were under pressure with the bat, they came under pressure when bowling, but invariably they came out back on top. They have beaten RCB by 35 runs, and have made a winning start to their IPL campaign.

RCB's CHALLENGE FIZZLES OUT

Sachin Baby's knock lasted three balls for one run, while Stuart Binny did slightly better at 11 off 10 balls. When both departed in quick succession, RCB were left reeling at 154/6. They need 54 in the last three overs, and only Watson to rely on.

Well, scratch that. Watson's gone too. And so have RCB's chances.

so far?…

90 28

TOSS & TEAMS:

Shane Watson, who stands in as captain in place of AB de Villiers, who was appointed as stand in captain for Virat Kohli, wins the toss for RCB and chooses to bowl first.

RCB bring in Tymal Mills and Aniket Choudhary for the game. SRH have a new face in Rashid Khan, the first Afghanistan player to play in the IPL.

Mills had spoken to Sky Sports just prior to the toss and said Samuel Badree will be playing and not him. But it seems like RCB had a last minute change of heart. Mills gets to play.

UPDATE:

Prakash G is in Hyderabad for the opener, and he's already spotted IPL new boys Tymal Mills and Rashid Khan bowling at the side pitches. Yuvraj Singh and Sreenath Aravind are too.

Where's Dravid? #Angryfan ©

FAB FOUR OR FAB FIVE?

Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman are all welcomed with a guard of honour, but wait... where is Rahul Dravid?

The song and dance routines have started. Not long to go for the cricket now...

INTRO:

So here we go. Indian Premier League season 10 is finally underway. Whether you think it's cricket overkill, or if it's a necessary evil for the game to survive, you can't look beyond how influential IPL has been to Indian and world cricket.

Every year, the IPL begins with the debate about whether the tournament is good or bad for the game, by the end, IPL comes out triumphant. Every year, the tournament brings in top class cricket and cricketers; it underlines current players's greatness; repairs broken bonds; it brings back into the limelight stars that may have been forgotten and it shines the light on some names who few would have heard of

Get your seat belts on, another topsy-turvy ride awaits us all.

Who are your pre-tournament favourites? Ping in your answers to @vishaal_cb or submissions@jeetwins99.com.

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