Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Harry Brook produced a scintillating display in his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) season, scoring an unbeaten 100 off 55 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. His whirlwind innings, the first century of IPL 2023, was studded with 12 fours and three sixes, leading SRH to a commanding total of 228/4.
Playing at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Brook opened the innings for SRH after the team was put in to bat by KKR. Despite early pressure, the English batter capitalized on the powerplay and continued to attack the KKR bowlers throughout his innings. Brook’s impressive performance was complemented by SRH skipper Aiden Markram, who contributed a brisk 50 off 26 balls.
During the mid-innings break, Brook acknowledged his previous struggles against spin and shared his approach for the game. “I wanted to use the powerplay to my advantage,” he said. “So middle overs, I wanted to rotate strike and let the other boys do the hitting.”
KKR’s bowlers struggled to find answers against the onslaught from SRH’s batters. Andre Russell emerged as the standout performer for KKR, claiming three wickets in 2.1 overs. Unfortunately, Russell was forced to leave the field due to what appeared to be a pulled muscle.
The match saw both teams entering with mixed fortunes. SRH arrived at Eden Gardens after securing their first win of the season against Punjab Kings, following two consecutive losses. KKR, on the other hand, had notched back-to-back victories against Bangalore and Gujarat after losing their opening match to Punjab.
Brook’s breathtaking century and Markram’s aggressive half-century have put SRH in a strong position, setting a challenging target for KKR. The match outcome will depend on how well KKR’s batsmen can handle SRH’s bowling attack and whether they can chase down the imposing total.