Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a stellar performance to secure their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final by defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 36 runs in Qualifier 2 at Chennai. By putting up a score of 175 and backing it with impressive bowling, SRH ensured they were on top of their game.
Invited to bat first by RR, SRH continued their aggressive batting approach, which they have showcased all through the TATA IPL 2024 season. Despite losing some early wickets in the powerplay, SRH’s batsmen remained undeterred in their pursuit of quick runs. RR’s Trent Boult was pivotal in causing early damage. Although Abhishek Sharma showed positive intent by hitting a six over mid-wicket followed by a four, Boult struck back, inducing a false shot from Sharma that was caught on the off-side.
Travis Head began cautiously, getting accustomed to the pitch while Rahul Tripathi took charge at the other end. Tripathi attacked with vigor, unafraid of any bowler. He hit R Ashwin for a four through third-man and targeted Boult for boundaries. Tripathi’s charge continued in the fourth over with a couple of fours and a six off Ashwin. Boult was then dispatched for a six and a four, but Tripathi’s aggressive innings ended at 37 off 15 balls when he misjudged a slower ball from Boult and was caught at short third-man.
Boult wasn’t finished, as he quickly claimed Aiden Markram’s wicket, who edged to Yuzvendra Chahal at short third-man. After five overs, SRH stood at 57 for three. Head, alongside Heinrich Klaasen, then played sensibly to rebuild the innings. Head opened his boundary account in the sixth over off Sandeep Sharma, while Klaasen found his rhythm with a six off Chahal in the eighth over. However, a lapse in concentration led Head to edge Sandeep Sharma to third-man.
In the final 10 overs, Klaasen took charge of the innings. Despite regular strikes by RR’s bowlers, which curtailed SRH’s charge, Klaasen played a crucial role in steadying the ship. Avesh Khan dismissed Nitish Reddy via a reverse-sweep to third-man in the 14th over and bowled Abdul Samad next ball. Despite these setbacks, Klaasen’s resilience brought SRH back in the game. He reached his fifty off 33 balls in the 18th over, helping SRH post a competitive 175 for nine.
. Shahbaz Ahmed, brought in as an Impact Player, contributed 18 vital runs. For RR, Sandeep (two for 25) and Avesh (three for 27) were the standout bowlers, with Boult also claiming three wickets.
RR’s run chase began with Yashaswi Jaiswal displaying his excellent form. He hit Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six in the very first over. Despite a challenging start, RR seemed in control with Jaiswal leading from the front. However, the breakthrough came when Pat Cummins dismissed Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Jaiswal kept up the pressure, especially in the sixth over, hitting three fours and a six off Bhuvneshwar, guiding RR to 51 for one at the end of the powerplay.
The middle overs saw SRH’s spinners decisively turning the match in their favor. Shahbaz Ahmed dismissed Jaiswal for 42 off 21 balls, catching him in the deep during the eighth over. Abhishek Sharma followed with a crucial wicket when Sanju Samson lofted one to deep mid-wicket, caught by Markram.
SRH’s spinners tightened their grip with Shahbaz striking twice in the 12th over. Riyan Parag was caught at mid-wicket, and Ashwin edged behind to the wicketkeeper. At 80 for five in the 12th over, SRH had firm control of the match.
RR struggled to recover. Impact Player Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell were kept under wraps by the disciplined SRH bowling attack. Dhruv Jurel was the lone RR batsman showing resistance, scoring a resilient fifty off 26 balls in the penultimate over. However, by that time, the match was beyond RR’s reach.
Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma were the stars with the ball, sharing five wickets between them and conceding only 47 runs in their combined eight overs. This outstanding performance ensured SRH progressed to the final, setting up a rematch with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the title clash on Sunday in Chennai. SRH’s display was a testament to their depth and resilience, promising an exciting final to cap off the IPL 2024 season.