In a dramatic encounter that thrilled cricket fans worldwide, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clinched a commanding 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Qualifier 2 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at Chennai, securing their place in the prestigious final. The victory was driven by a combination of aggressive batting, disciplined bowling, and an all-around team effort.
Batting first after being invited to do so by Rajasthan Royals, SRH managed to post a formidable total of 175 runs. This score was a testament to their batting prowess and strategic mindset throughout the innings. Despite early setbacks, SRH’s batsmen displayed resilience and aggression, traits that have become synonymous with their campaign in this IPL season.
The innings began on a turbulent note as Trent Boult wreaked havoc early on, dismissing Abhishek Sharma in the very first over. Boult bowled with pace and precision, extracting errant shots from the SRH openers. Abhishek started with a promising six over mid-wicket followed by a four, but Boult soon had him caught on the off-side. This early blow didn’t dampen the spirits of SRH as Travis Head and Rahul Tripathi took charge.
Travis Head initially adopted a more cautious approach, while Tripathi unleashed an array of shots, taking on the bowlers with remarkable confidence. A pivotal moment came in the second over when R Ashwin, another key bowler for RR, was treated to an edgy four by Tripathi through third-man. Undeterred, Tripathi continued his onslaught, hitting consecutive boundaries and a six off Boult and Ashwin. His quickfire 37 off 15 balls set the tone for SRH’s innings.
However, Boult struck back vigorously, taking the prized wickets of Aiden Markram and then Travis Head in quick succession. Markram edged a ball to Yuzvendra Chahal at short third-man, consolidating Boult’s dominance in the powerplay and reducing SRH to 57 for three within five overs.
The middle phase of SRH’s innings saw a mature partnership between Head and Heinrich Klaasen, who set about repairing the damage. Head, having been subdued initially, started finding the gaps, and Klaasen exhibited a flair for powerful stroke-play.
. He accelerated the scoring with a six over mid-wicket against Chahal in the eighth over, boosting SRH’s momentum.
Despite occasional breakthroughs by RR bowlers, including crucial wickets like those of Nitish Reddy and Abdul Samad who fell to Avesh Khan’s brilliant bowling, Klaasen ensured SRH never lost sight of a competitive total. His half-century off just 33 balls was a highlight of the innings, and contributions from Shahbaz Ahmed in the latter stages helped SRH reach a challenging score of 175 for nine. Sandeep Sharma (two for 25) and Boult (three for 27) were notable in restricting SRH’s total.
The chase for RR began with a spark as Yashaswi Jaiswal marked his presence with a six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the very first over. Jaiswal’s aggressive start kept RR optimistic, ending the powerplay at a promising 51 for one. However, the middle overs saw a dramatic shift as SRH’s spin duo, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma, tightened their grip on the game.
Shahbaz played a pivotal role in dismissing the dangerous Jaiswal, who was caught in the deep for a brisk 42 off 21 balls. This breakthrough in the eighth over tilted the game in SRH’s favor. Abhishek then added to RR’s woes by claiming the wicket of skipper Sanju Samson, who was caught by Markram at deep mid-wicket.
The double-wicket over by Shahbaz in the 12th over was the hammer blow to RR’s ambitions. He dismissed Riyan Parag and Ashwin in quick succession, leaving RR reeling at 80 for five. Despite Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell being introduced as Impact Players to reignite RR’s chase, SRH’s bowlers consistently applied pressure, making scoring difficult.
Dhruv Jurel was the lone warrior for RR, displaying commendable resilience with a fighting fifty off 26 balls. His effort, though valiant, was not enough to overcome the mounting pressure and disciplined SRH bowling attack.
In the end, it was the combined effort of SRH’s bowling unit, particularly the spinners Shahbaz and Abhishek, who took five wickets between them while conceding only 47 runs in their eight overs, that sealed the victory. This crucial win has set up an exciting rematch of Qualifier 1, where SRH will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the IPL 2024 title in Chennai on Sunday.
