De Villiers tears Sunrisers apart

Images courtesy of BCCI

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Warner Blog: Who will crack?

AB de Villiers has played one of the all-time great T20 innings to destroy compatriot Dale Steyn and Hyderabad by four wickets in front of a pulsating home crowd in Bangalore.

Needing 28 off two overs, the outcome of the match rested on the shoulders of two South African champions. Steyn, threatening and economical as ever, squared off against a frenzied de Villiers, eyeing off the straight short boundaries.

The heavyweight bout went the distance, and then some. de Villiers obliterated his nation's strike bowler all over Bangalore, bossing four sixes in the over, the last a paddle sweep from outside off-stump over fine-leg's head into the second tier of hysterical fans.

Steyn had no answers, applauding the incredible display of hitting when the bell rang and his over was thankfully complete. 

de Villiers ended the match the next over, punching four through the leg-side when two were required, finishing on 89 off 41 balls, sending his team-mates into a stampede and the sea of red in the stands overflowing with jubilation.

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Earlier, Mitchell Starc accounted for Hyderabad's Australian duo. A searing, swinging bouncer eliminated Aaron Finch, who was grateful only his wicket was lost and not his head against the aggressive left-armer. 

His partner was more difficult to remover, Warner recording his third half-century of the tournament, this time batting at four, steering the ship just like coach Tom Moody instructed.

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No fireworks between players this match, only from the bat of Warner, pasting 61 before being undone by sliding Starc yorker. Starc would concede just six from the final over, leaving his star-studded batting line-up 156 to win.

The chase started with a stutter for the Royal Challengers, losing Parthiv Patel and captain Virat Kohli in the second over. Always up for a big innings, Chris Gayle was finding his feet, but picked out the fielder on the rope to go for 27 and leave the victory target far on the horizon with the Sunrisers setting.

But it wouldn't be an issue, de Villiers displaying why he's considered one of the greatest batsmen of the modern generation and why RCB are a huge title contender.

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