It is often remarked that lightning never strikes the same place twice, but the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) might beg to differ, presenting a strong case that, in cricket, it can strike with even greater ferocity. In a show of might and prowess, SRH etched their name into the annals of TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) history by amassing an awe-inspiring total of 287 for three, eclipsing the highest team score in IPL 2024 which they themselves set previously against the Mumbai Indians (MI). Their record-shattering exploits transpired at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which now holds the distinction of witnessing two of the three highest team totals in the league’s storied timeline.
Accomplishing a single record-breaking performance in a season is no small feat; however, repeating such a landmark achievement is nothing short of phenomenal. This speaks volumes about the caliber of SRH’s batting lineup. The squad, buoyed by a zealous desire to dominate, seized the initiative to attack right from the onset, despite being put in to bat on a notoriously high-scoring pitch. The expectation for a commendable performance was in the air, with forecasts predicting scores exceeding 200. Yet, the thought of having the record shattered for the second time in the same season was unfathomable to many.
The opening duo, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, gave substance to SRH’s aggressive intent. RCB’s Will Jacks, with his off-spin, rolled out the game with little inkling of what was to follow – the pace attack on the other hand was destined for a hammering. Reece Topley’s over was plundered for 20 runs, Lockie Ferguson was greeted with an 18-run salvo, and Yash Dayal’s second over saw another 20 runs stacked up, all while SRH thundered to 76 runs within the powerplay, and Head swiftly reached his half-century off a mere 20 balls.
The explosive partnership continued to batter RCB’s bowlers mercilessly. Head’s onslaught teetered on the edge of the extraordinary, as even spinner Jacks, returning for the seventh over, could not escape his wrath, conceding two sixes and a four. With scant regard for the style of bowling, Head had a premeditated answer for every ball, be it with a swashbuckling horizontal bat for short deliveries or a punishing front-foot drive for the fuller ones. By the time Abhishek Sharma struck a six off Vijaykumar Vyshak, SRH notched 100 runs in the seventh over. Although Topley claimed Abhishek soon afterward, Heinrich Klaasen took center stage, intensifying the pressure on RCB.
Klaasen, who initially took a measure of time, soon followed in Head’s brisk footsteps reaching his century in a blistering 39 balls, marking it as the fourth fastest in TATA IPL history. Ferguson, however, delivered a crafty slower ball to send Head back for 102. Midway through the 13th over, SRH found themselves assertively placed at 165 runs. There was no letting up as Klaasen assumed the mantle left by Head.
The carnage carried on as Klaasen pillaged 18 runs off Mahipal Lomror’s 14th over, and by the end of the 15th over, a score well over 200 was on the horizon, while a new record was in the making. Klaasen’s fierce stint at the crease yielded a rapid 67 off 31 balls before falling to Ferguson. Abdul Samad continued where Klaasen left off, devouring 37* off 10 balls, propelling the team to the record in the last over with a single off Vyshak.
RCB, facing this Himalayan task, launched their chase spiritedly with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis at the frontline. Kohli, buoyed by the Bengaluru crowd’s support, fashioned a 20-ball 42, punctuated with six fours and two sixes. However, SRH’s leg-spinner Mayank Markande stopped Kohli in his tracks in the seventh over. Despite an equally fiery fifty from du Plessis, the challenge seemed daunting, especially as the middle order struggled with timing, leaving RCB at 122 for five at the mid-innings mark.
Dinesh Karthik’s vintage performance then illuminated the pitch; his blistering 35-ball 83 with seven sixes almost single-handedly maintained RCB’s dimming hopes. On another day, his innings might have been the talk of a victory, but in this contest, it only highlighted the enormity of RCB’s challenge. RCB concluded their innings at 262 for seven, a 25-run defeat in a high-scoring encounter that, under different circumstances, would have been laudable.
SRH’s indomitable batsmen have once again enthralled IPL aficionados with a standout performance, a feat more pronounced when noting that none of the bowlers managed an economy rate below ten runs per over. It was a match that not only broke records but also showcased the sheer dynamism and entertainment that T20 cricket embodies.