Sunrisers aim at top-four spot after Daredevils match

Raipur, May 8 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be eyeing a top four place in the standings when they face Delhi Dardevils in their Indian Premier league (IPL) away match here on Saturday.

Sunrisers are presently just a rung below a play-off spot, in the fifth place, with 10 points from as many matches.

Their ambitions could be helped by their opponents' hopeless position in regard to play-off qualification.

Daredevils conceded a 13-run defeat to reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders in their away match on Thursday. 

It left them second-placed from the bottom with eight points from 11 games. They have managed just four victories from their 11 matches.

The disappointing result practically poured cold water on their hopes of advancing to the business leg of the domestic Twenty-20 competition.

Skipper Jean-Paul Duminy admitted as much after their demoralising result saying his team was "pretty much out" the reckoning for the play-offs.

He conceded they would only play to retain their pride against the Sunrisers, which could be a double-edged sword.

Absence of any purposeful motivation might allow the Daredevils to approach the match lightly. It also could enable the doomed team to play without any additional baggage of expectations at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.

Delhi made big noises in the tournament's build-up, splurging cash and buying fading star, Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh for an eye-watering Rs.16 crore and Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews for Rs.7.5crore.

But things just haven't fallen into place for them collectively, in both batting and bowling.

The marquee players failed to get going and their initial losses didn't help in building a momentum.

Flashes of the team's potential was evident in some matches but they resemble a mirage in a dry desert.

Hyderabad haven't been outstanding either but have fared marginally better, winning five of the 10 matches played.

They do have their share of problems, with the top-heavy batting floundering once their two star openers, Australian David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan depart early.

The pace dominated bowling, boasting international quicks Dale Steyn, Trent Boult, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have struggled to get their act together.

But all their apparent frailties would be nullified if they attain qualification. The outcome of Saturday's match might be a big step in their ambitions.

Squads:

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): David Warner (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Dale Steyn, Karn Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishant Sharma, Trent Boult, Kane Williamson, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Naman Ojha, Praveen Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Ashish Reddy, Parvez Rasool, Moises Henriques, Ravi Bopara, Ricky Bhui, Chama Milind, Eoin Morgan, Prasanth Padmanabhan, Bipul Sharma, Hanuma Vihari.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): David Warner (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Dale Steyn, Karn Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishant Sharma, Trent Boult, Kane Williamson, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, NamanOjha, Praveen Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Ashish Reddy, Parvez Rasool, Moises Henriques, Ravi Bopara, Ricky Bhui, Chama Milind, Eoin Morgan, Prasanth Padmanabhan, Bipul Sharma, Hanuma Vihari.