Marlon Samuels’ Warriors lose IPL opener

HYDERABAD, India, CMC – West Indies middle order batsman Marlon Samuels lost a battle with pacer Thisara Perera as his Pune Warriors went down by 22 runs to debutants Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday.

Samuels’s highs and lows were captured in three deliveries from Perera as the Warriors were bowled out for 104 chasing 127 for victory.

He hit Perera’s first ball of the 9th over for four after getting a bottom edge past the slips to the third man boundary before playing and missing the second ball.

However, Samuels’s luck ran out when he attempted to guide Perera’s third ball down to third man and instead steered it into the hands of the slip fielder.

Samuels also opened the bowling for Warriors and did well to keep the Sunrisers batsmen in check picking up one for 24 from four overs.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad are playing as a unit for the first time in the IPL after financial matters brought about a premature end to the Deccan Chargers.