Hyderabad, Mar 27 (Reporter) Propelled by Travis Head’s aggressive strokeplay and Aniket Verma’s late assault, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a competitive 190 for 9 against Lucknow Super Giants in their Indian Premier League (IPL) game here on Thursday. Sent into bat, Sunrisers got off to a shaky start, losing Abhishek Sharma (6) and Ishan Kishan (0) in quick succession to Shardul Thakur in the second over. However, Travis Head (47 off 28) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (32 off 28) stabilised the innings with an aggressive partnership. Head, who looked in fine touch, enjoyed a couple of reprieves, with Ravi Bishnoi and Nicholas Pooran putting down crucial chances. In the sixth over, Bishnoi, in his follow-through, failed to hold onto a sharp return catch, while Pooran spilled a lofted shot at long-on the next ball. These missed opportunities allowed Head to make a significant impact before he was eventually dismissed. Wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen contributed a brisk 26 off 17 before being run out by Prince Yadav, while Aniket Verma’s explosive knock of 36 off 13 balls gave Hyderabad much-needed momentum towards the death overs. Skipper Pat Cummins (18 off 4) provided a late flourish, but the lower order could not capitalise fully, as wickets kept tumbling at crucial junctures. Ravi Bishnoi was left frustrated in the 11th over when he came close to trapping Nitish Reddy lbw. The leg-spinner was convinced he had his man, but the umpire’s call saved Reddy, with replays showing the ball clipping the stumps. Bishnoi, visibly displeased, had a brief chat with umpire Abhijit Bhattacharya, but the decision stood, allowing Reddy to continue his innings. Shardul Thakur emerged as the pick of the bowlers for Lucknow Super Giants, scalping four wickets for 34 runs in his four-over spell. Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, and Prince Yadav chipped in with a wicket each, keeping the Hyderabad batting in check. Thakur struck in the second over to dismiss both Sharma and Kishan, giving Lucknow an early advantage. Despite the fall of wickets, Hyderabad maintained a brisk run rate, thanks to Head’s aggressive strokeplay and Verma’s late assault. They ended with a total of 190/9 at the end of their innings...////...