Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered an emphatic statement in their 10-wicket rout of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Key to this dominant display were the explosive batting performances from Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, showcasing precisely why SRH’s batting lineup is among the most formidable in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The target of 166, set by LSG, was expertly chased down in an astonishing 9.4 overs, reflecting the relentless efficiency of SRH’s batting on the day.
The foundation for this victory was laid during the powerplay—a phase SRH has consistently dominated throughout the tournament. In this match, they managed to accumulate an astonishing 107 runs in the powerplay alone, essentially sealing their victory within the first six overs. The LSG bowlers found no respite as the left-handed opening duo kept the pressure high, leaving absolutely no margin for error.
Remarkably, SRH’s mastery was not immediately evident as they only managed eight runs in the first over. However, the second over turned out to be a game-changer with Abhishek smashing four boundaries off Yash Thakur. When K Gowtham took the mantle for the third over, Travis Head joined the onslaught, plundering 22 runs—courtesy of three massive sixes and a four. This prompted LSG captain KL Rahul to bring in Ravi Bishnoi for the fourth over, but even the leg-spinner couldn’t stem the flow of runs. The relentless run-fest continued with Head racing to a 16-ball half-century when Naveen-ul-Haq bowled the fifth over, which yielded another 23 runs.
Yash Thakur returned for the last over of the powerplay and Abhishek, not to be outdone by his partner, matched Head’s aggressive stroke play, taking SRH beyond the 100-run mark. With the field restrictions lifted, many anticipated at least a minor respite for LSG, but that was far from reality. Head continued the blitzkrieg by slog-sweeping the first ball of the seventh over for six over mid-wicket, while Abhishek reached his fifty with a six over long-on.
Boundaries were flowing ceaselessly from both ends, with the pair appearing intent on reaching their target within the first ten overs. The climax came when Abhishek launched Thakur over covers for a monumental six, clinching victory for SRH. Head remained unbeaten on a scintillating 89 off 30 balls, while Abhishek finished with 75 not out off 28 balls.
. Their innings included an incredible 16 fours and 14 sixes, illustrating the brutal nature of their batting display that left the LSG bowlers demoralized.
In stark contrast, SRH bowlers had earlier restricted LSG to a moderately competitive total of 165 by regularly picking wickets in the early stages of the innings. Ayush Badoni (55 not out off 30 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (48 not out off 26 balls) provided a late flourish, adding 99 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket to propel LSG to their eventual total. This recovery contrasted sharply with the lethargic effort in the opening half of their innings.
SRH’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar was particularly effective in the powerplay, conceding just seven runs in his first three overs and claiming the prized wickets of Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis. LSG found themselves struggling at 27 for two by the end of the powerplay. This slow start necessitated a rebuilding act from Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul.
Krunal Pandya attempted to accelerate in the eighth over by targeting Jaydev Unadkat, smashing two sixes. However, LSG were still behind the desired scoring rate, further exacerbated when Rahul was dismissed for 29 after lofting a Pat Cummins delivery to the deep. Krunal Pandya’s run-out for 24 in the 12th over only added to LSG’s woes, necessitating both Pooran and Badoni to stabilize and then accelerate the innings.
Nicholas Pooran played with a mix of caution and aggression, while Ayush Badoni unleashed a flurry of strokes that included three boundaries in a single over off T Natarajan in the 14th. This over, which went for 16 runs, injected much-needed momentum into the innings. LSG managed to score over 10 runs an over from the 14th onwards, with the exception of Bhuvneshwar’s last over, which remarkably yielded just five runs. Bhuvneshwar ended with impressive figures of two for 12, putting their later assault into perspective.
Badoni reached his half-century in the penultimate over off just 28 balls. The final two overs were critical, as they yielded 34 runs, including 19 off the last bowled by Cummins, pushing LSG to 165. Despite this late surge, the target proved inadequate against the relentless force of SRH’s opening pair. In the end, Head and Abhishek were simply unstoppable, ensuring a comprehensive victory for SRH.