Dhawan, Warner overpower Punjab with 107-run stand

A 107-run opening stand between Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner led Hyderabad to their fifth win in nine matches, as they comfortably over powered Punjab - on a placid batting surface - by 26 run in the Indian Twenty20 competition at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Chandigarh on Friday.

Glenn Maxwell, Punjab's captain, won the toss and put the opposition in to bat first, but the move backfired as the aggressive Hyderabad openers tore into the seamers early. While Ishant Sharma conceded just 3 in the first over, Anureet Singh faltered with his line and was dispatched for successive boundaries in the next. Ishant and Mohit Sharma were then smashed for three more boundaries in the next two overs, prompting Maxwell to opt for spin from Axar Patel. However, Warner switched gears and clobbered him for two sixes and a four in his first over. The duo plundered 60 in the Powerplay, their best this season.

Warner and Dhawan hit five boundaries in the first five overs of the innings and six more between overs 6 and 10. Warner finally fell in the 10th over, for a 27-ball 51, looking to swat Glenn Maxwell, while Dhawan departed for a 48-ball 77. The opening platform helped Hyderabad amass 207, which proved to be out of Punjab's reach.