IPL 2017: Rahul Tripathi slams maiden fifty to give Rising Pune Supergiant good start

Rahul Tripathi got Rising Pune Supergiant off to a terrific start as he slammed a 41-ball 59 to keep them in cruise control as they chase the 177-run target set by Sunrisers Hyderabad, here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, on Saturday. (LIVE SCORECARD)

With Ajinkya Rahane getting out on the cheap once again, Tripathi took on the leading role out in the middle with Steve Smith as he hammered the opposition bowlers to all corners of the park. He started the carnage by sending Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two consecutive boundaries before sweeping Bipul Sharma for yet another boundary right after Rahane’s dismissal. (LIVE UPDATES)

Tripathi had got a few starts in the IPL already but failed to convert them into big scores with rash dismissals. On Saturday, too, he could have met a similar fortune had Bipul held on to a tough chance off the first ball in the fifth over. Trying to hook one off Mohammed Siraj for a big one, Tripathi had sent the ball high up in the air and Bipul failed to hold on to it running backwards.

The 26-year-old took full advantage of the situation as he sent the next ball flying out of the park before following it up with a cracking shot to the point boundary. In the next over, Siddharth Kaul was at the receiving end as Tripathi picked up two sixes and a boundary to set a perfect platform for his side to chase down the mammoth target.

He reached his maiden T20 half-century with a punch down to the cover region as the crowd gave him a rousing cheer. Tripathi was run out answering MS Dhoni’s call for a single in the 14th over.