Manish
Pandey and Vijay Shankar stitched together a 140-run partnership on Thursday to
help the Sunrisers Hyderabad seal an eight-wicket win over struggling Rajasthan
Royals in the Indian Premier League.

Having lost
opening duo David Warner and Jonny Bairstow early in their chase of the 155-run
target, the Hyderabad middle order was under pressure as it have failed to
deliver so far in the tournament.

Sunrisers skipper
Warner was delighted with Pandey and Shankar’s unbeaten half-centuries and said
it was “great to show people that we do have a middle order”.

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“For them
to come out and play like this, I am so happy for them. They showed they can
build a platform for us to get across the line. Or set a big total. I am chuffed
for them,” PTI quoted Warner saying at the post-match presentation.

English
paceman Jofra Archer dismissed both Warner and Bairstow, the top two scorers for the Sunrisers so far, within the third over to get his side off to a perfect start.

However, Pandey and Shankar held their nerve and survived early scares to launch a counter-attack on the Rajasthan bowlers. 

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Pandey took on the role of the aggressor, smashing four boundaries and eight sixes en route to his 47-ball 83 while Shankar played an assured knock of 52 runs from 51 balls, including six boundaries. 

The win helped the Sunrisers climb to fifth in the points table, having sealed their fourth win of the season from 10 games while Rajasthan are seventh in the table, with eight points from eleven games.