Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered an overwhelming performance, clinching a 10-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in a high-octane TATA IPL 2024 contest. SRH’s top order, led by the formidable Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, showcased explosive batting that left fans in awe, reaffirming the team’s reputation as one of the most feared batting lineups in the league. Remarkably, the target of 166 was achieved in just 9.4 overs, a feat that highlighted SRH’s batting prowess.
The start of SRH’s innings was underpinned by sheer aggression during the powerplay – a phase they have dominated consistently throughout the tournament. Accumulating an astonishing 107 runs in the powerplay, SRH effectively sealed the game early, leaving no room for errors by the LSG bowlers. The left-handed opening pair was relentless, turning the match into a compelling demonstration of their batting strength.
Intriguingly, the fireworks commenced quietly as the opening over yielded only eight runs. The second over, however, marked the beginning of LSG’s ordeal. Abhishek Sharma smashed four boundaries off Yash Thakur’s bowling. In the third over, as K Gowtham took the ball, Travis Head unleashed a barrage, securing 22 runs with three towering sixes and a four, putting SRH firmly in command. Despite LSG captain KL Rahul turning to Ravi Bishnoi in the subsequent over, SRH remained unfazed, as runs continued to pour in from both ends.
As Naveen-ul-Haq delivered the fifth over, Head kept up the aggressive tempo, racing to a blistering half-century from just 16 balls. This over went for an expensive 23 runs. Completing the powerplay, Thakur’s over again proved costly, with Abhishek matching Head’s impressive shot-making, propelling SRH past the 100-run mark. When the fielders spread out post-powerplay, the spectators anticipated a slowdown, but SRH appeared unperturbed.
Head continued his onslaught by launching the first ball of the seventh over for a six over mid-wicket. Abhishek soon followed, reaching his fifty with a mighty six over long-on. With both batsmen striking at will, it was a matter of when, not if, SRH would clinch victory. The match concluded emphatically with Abhishek Sharma dispatching Thakur for a colossal six over cover, sealing SRH’s 10-wicket victory.
. Head finished with an unbeaten 89 off just 30 deliveries, while Abhishek contributed an undefeated 75 off 28 balls. The innings was decorated with 16 boundaries and 14 maximums. The LSG bowling figures, unfortunately, reflected a day they’d prefer to forget.
Earlier in the match, SRH’s bowlers delivered a solid performance, restricting LSG to a mere 165 by systematically dismantling their top order, taking crucial wickets at intervals. It was the partnership between Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran that lent LSG a semblance of stability, with the duo combining for an unbeaten stand of 99 in the last 10 overs. Their effort salvaged LSG’s innings after a faltering start.
At the outset, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s mastery with the new ball posed difficulties for LSG. He allowed just seven runs in his first three overs, claiming significant wickets of Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis. By the end of the powerplay, LSG were grappling at 27 for two, compelled to rethink their strategy with Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul at the crease.
Pandya attempted to inject momentum in the eighth over, targeting Jaydev Unadkat for two sixes. Despite this aggression, LSG’s overall scoring rate was lackluster, failing to reach even a run-a-ball at times. The challenges were exacerbated when Rahul was dismissed for 29, caught in the deep off Pat Cummins. The situation worsened in the 12th over as Pandya was run out for 24, leaving Pooran and Badoni to rescue the innings.
While Pooran’s experience provided a steady hand, it was Badoni’s aggression that revitalized the innings. In the 14th over, facing T Natarajan, Badoni exploded with a trio of consecutive boundaries, injecting much-needed urgency. From that point on, LSG consistently managed over 10 runs per over, with the exception of Bhuvneshwar’s final over, which was expertly restricted to five.
Badoni completed his half-century in the penultimate over, reaching the milestone from just 28 balls. The closing overs were costly for SRH, with the final two overs conceding 34 runs, including 19 off Cummins’ final over.
Ultimately, LSG’s effort to post 165 was commendable after their fraught beginning, giving them a glimmer of hope for the defense. However, the powerful display by Head and Abhishek dashed those hopes, as they were simply unbeatable on this day, securing a sweeping victory for SRH.