In a thrilling encounter at Chennai, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final with a resounding 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. This emphatic win saw SRH outshine their opponents, setting up a much-anticipated rematch against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the title.
Opting to bat first after being put to the decision by RR, SRH displayed their aggressive style of play right from the start, a hallmark of their 2024 IPL campaign. Despite losing a few early wickets in the powerplay, their intentions remained clear. Trent Boult, leading RR’s bowling attack, made the early breakthroughs. Abhishek Sharma got off to a promising start with a six over mid-wicket and a subsequent boundary, but Boult responded swiftly by dismissing him through a deft catch on the off-side off a miscued shot.
As SRH marched on, Travis Head took his time to settle, whereas Rahul Tripathi unleashed an aggressive onslaught on the RR bowlers. Tripathi, undaunted by the opposition, played boldly, starting his campaign against R Ashwin with an edgy four through third-man. Boult, who had tormented the SRH batsmen earlier, was targeted yet again, as Tripathi dispatched him for boundaries. In the fourth over, Tripathi pushed the envelope by hitting Ashwin for a couple of boundaries and a six, followed by more aggressive strikes against Boult, only to be caught going for another audacious hit, leaving SRH at 37 off 15 deliveries.
Boult was instrumental again as he claimed the wicket of SRH’s skipper, Aiden Markram, soon after, reducing SRH to 57 for three by the fifth over. It was left to Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen to stabilize the innings. While Head eventually fell after a few quiet overs with 27 on the board, Klaasen stood firm, guiding SRH’s charge in the latter half of the innings.
The calm yet calculated approach from Klaasen, alongside tactical contributions from Shahbaz Ahmed, propelled SRH’s score. In the 14th over, Avesh Khan struck twice for RR. Despite this setback, Klaasen persisted, reaching his half-century off 33 balls and helping SRH to post a competitively defendable total of 175 for 9.
. The late order runs, bolstered by Shahbaz as an Impact Player, proved crucial.
Facing a daunting target, RR was initially led by a promising display from Yashaswi Jaiswal, who took on Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the very first over with a massive six. As RR moved through the powerplay, they looked on course, finishing with 51 for one, with Jaiswal key to their chase.
However, SRH’s spin duo, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma, soon turned the game in their team’s favor. Shahbaz’s crucial breakthroughs included dismissing the dangerous Jaiswal caught in the deep, followed by the key wicket of captain Sanju Samson soon after.
As RR’s innings progressed, SRH’s spinners heightened the pressure. Shahbaz delivered a game-changing 12th over with a double-wicket haul, removing Riyan Parag and Ravichandran Ashwin. With RR reeling at 80 for five, SRH’s dominance was undeniable.
Shimron Hetmyer, brought in as an Impact Player, along with Rovman Powell attempted to steady the ship for RR. Nonetheless, they faltered against the unyielding SRH bowlers, making minimal headway. The lone sparkle in RR’s chase was Dhruv Jurel, who bravely resisted with a fighting fifty off 26 deliveries amidst mounting pressure and wickets tumbling around him.
As the match inevitably swung in SRH’s favor, the suffocating spin attack, spearheaded by Shahbaz and Abhishek, dismantled the RR batting order. Together, they captured five wickets at the cost of a mere 47 runs across their combined eight overs.
SRH’s clinical performance has set up a grand finale against KKR, a replay of the gripping Qualifier 1. Fans and cricket enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the showdown on Sunday in Chennai, where SRH will aim for the coveted IPL trophy.