Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a dominant performance as they secured a resounding 10-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Thanks to an explosive display of batting by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, SRH’s victory was both swift and spectacular, showcasing once again why their batting lineup is regarded as one of the most formidable in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
Set a target of 166, SRH made it look easy as they chased it down in a mere 9.4 overs, underscoring the thorough dismantling of the LSG bowling attack. The powerplay phase, which has been a hallmark of SRH’s dominance throughout the tournament, saw them rack up 107 runs—a score that essentially decided the match in their favor. The LSG bowlers had little room for maneuver, constantly put on the back foot by the devastating left-handed opening pair of Head and Abhishek.
The match began with a cautious first over, with SRH collecting only eight runs. However, the following over marked the beginning of an onslaught led by Abhishek, who dispatched Yash Thakur for four boundaries. Head then joined the fireworks, taking K Gowtham to task in the third over, smashing 22 runs that included three sixes and a four. Despite LSG’s captain KL Rahul’s decision to introduce Ravi Bishnoi to stem the flow of runs in the fourth over, SRH’s rampant charge continued unabated. When Naveen-ul-Haq took the ball for the fifth over, Head was unstoppable, racing to a breathtaking 16-ball half-century in an over that yielded 23 runs.
Thakur, brought back for the concluding over of the powerplay, found no reprieve as Abhishek mirrored Head’s aggression, leading SRH past the 100-run mark by the end of just six overs. While the fielding conditions opened up after the powerplay, many speculated a potential slowdown; however, Head and Abhishek dashed such hopes immediately. Head’s audacious slog-sweep for a six in the seventh over and Abhishek’s milestone of reaching a fifty with another towering six epitomized their relentless assault.
The duo remained undeterred no matter which LSG bowler came at them. Constantly dispatching boundaries, they endeavored to finish the game by the tenth over.
. The climax came swiftly as Abhishek launched Thakur over covers for a massive six, sealing an emphatic victory. Head concluded with a spectacular score of 89 not out from 30 deliveries, complemented by Abhishek’s impressive 75 not out off 28 balls. Together, their innings spanned 16 fours and 14 sixes, marking a forgettable day for the LSG bowling unit.
Prior to SRH’s batting heroics, their bowling attack had laid the groundwork by restricting LSG to 165, seizing key wickets and maintaining a tight grip on the proceedings. It was primarily the efforts of Ayush Badoni (55* off 30 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (48* off 26 balls) that provided some respite, pushing LSG to a competitive total with an unbeaten 99-run partnership that dominated the latter half of their innings.
In the early exchanges, Bhuvneshwar Kumar masterfully exploited conditions, conceding only seven runs in his initial three overs and claiming the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis. LSG’s struggle was evident as they ended their powerplay at a mere 27 for two, necessitating a rebuild anchored by Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul.
Pandya attempted a counterattack in the eighth over against Jaydev Unadkat, hitting two sixes, but LSG’s progress remained sluggish, compounded by Rahul’s dismissal for 29 off Pat Cummins and Pandya’s unfortunate run-out for 24 in the 12th over. It was then that Pooran and Badoni combined efforts, breathing life into LSG’s innings.
Badoni’s flair brought aggression, going after T Natarajan in the 14th over with three boundaries, adding much-needed momentum with a 16-run over. The final partition of the innings saw LSG exceeding 10 runs per over consistently since the 14th over, barring Bhuvneshwar’s tidy last over, which yielded merely five runs. Concluding his spell with remarkable figures of two for 12, Bhuvneshwar stood as a bulwark against the onslaught.
Badoni’s half-century came in the penultimate over, accomplished in just 28 deliveries. The intense finish by LSG culminated in accumulating 34 runs off the last two overs, with Cummins’ last over surrendered 19, elevating their score to 165. Despite this recovery, the challenging opening ten overs posed too steep a challenge against the rampaging SRH. Ultimately, SRH’s Head and Abhishek showcased brilliance and authority, overwhelming LSG on the day.