Robust Rayudu powers Heroes to win over Badshahs in power interrupted match

Hyderabad Heroes defeat Lahore Badshahs by 18 runs (VJD method)

Ambati Rayudu declared Man of the Match for sparkling half century

Hyderabad: The first match of the ICL 20s Indian Championship, Season-2 featured the big match of defending champion Hyderabad Heroes take on the formidable Lahore Badshahs at the glittering ICL facility LB stadium, preceded by a high octane opening ceremony. The spectacular opening ceremony was graced by Shri.K R Suresh Reddy, Assembly Speaker, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, former Chief Minister-Andhra Pradesh, Shri Subhash Chandra-Chairman Zee & Essel Group and Kapil Dev-Chairman, Executive Board, Indian Cricket League (ICL).

In the end, in an anti climax resulting due to a massive power failure in Hyderabad resulted in the match being awarded to the Hyderabad Heroes, who won the match by 18 runs (VJD method). Local lad Ambati Rayudu won the Man of the Match for his sparkling half century.

Badshahs captain Inzamam, won the toss for the Badshahs & elected to field, wanting to take first advantage of the fresh pitch. The Badshahs struck early getting the dangerous Abdul Razzaq early in the second over, cheaply for 13 (7 balls) in the second over.

The experienced South paw Jimmy Maher took over the mantel of the innings and at the end of the 5th over took the Heroes' score to 40 /1. The prodigal Rayudu also got into the act showing his class with some breathtaking strokes.
Ambati Rayudu

Maher & Rayudu looked in great touch doing the basics right, of running hard between the wickets & percentage stroke-play, working up a good partnership for the Heroes. At the half way mark of their innings Heroes, were placed comfortable at 75 /1. Two big sixes of Saqlain's consecutive deliveries in the 12th over, from Hyderabad's favorite son Rayudu, saw the young quality-act get the first fifty of ICL season-2.

Rayudu was batting in the zone belting the experienced Badshahs bowlers all over the park. Inzamam brought on his premier pacer MD Sami in the 14th over who got the important breakthrough cutting short a brilliant Rayudu' innings of 58 runs off forty two balls ,including five sixes and one four. Quick wickets of Maher & the dangerous Kemp took some steam off the Heroes' innings in the 17th over. The half way mark of the match saw the Heroes set the Badshahs a competitive target of 160 runs.

The Badshahs reply got a setback before a start with a late- bowling penalty of six runs, revising their target to 166 runs. The Heroes struck early with Razzaq sending the explosive Farhat back in the Badshahs dug out in the first over without troubling the scorers. ICL debutant Shahid Yousuf, too had a disastrous start, packed back to the Badshahs' dugout on naught; off the bowling of the ever improving Stuart Binny.

Some tight bowling assisted by some sharp bowling saw the Heroes restrict the Badshahs at 20/2 at the end of 5 overs. An unfortunate power failure cast its shadow on the exciting encounter, resulting in a calculation of the interruption rule (VJD method), resulting in the match being awarded to the Badshahs.