Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured a commanding victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 36 runs in Qualifier 2 at Chennai to book their place in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Opting to bat first, SRH posted a competitive total of 175 runs, which their formidable bowling attack defended with sheer precision, setting up a grand clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the coveted title.
Invited to bat by RR, SRH showcased their aggressive batting approach right from the outset, a hallmark of their campaign in the TATA IPL 2024. Despite losing a couple of early wickets in the powerplay, the intent to score quickly was evident. Trent Boult, the key architect for RR, struck early blows, getting rid of the dangerous Abhishek Sharma who had started with a flourish, smashing a six and a four. Boult’s clever bowling induced a false shot from Sharma, resulting in a simple catch on the off-side.
Travis Head and Rahul Tripathi took on the mantle to rebuild the innings. Tripathi, in particular, was aggressive, playing shots all around the park, and attacking bowlers irrespective of their reputations. His innings gained momentum as he hit R Ashwin for a four through third-man, albeit a bit edgy, and followed it up with another boundary off Boult. Tripathi continued his assault against Ashwin in the fourth over, plundering two fours and a six. Boult’s return only saw Tripathi firing on all cylinders, hitting a six and a four, before a slower delivery from Boult tricked him, resulting in a catch at short third-man. Tripathi’s quickfire 37 off 15 balls provided SRH with the necessary momentum early on.
Boult further dented SRH’s innings by dismissing Aiden Markram in the same spell, caught by Yuzvendra Chahal at short third-man. At 57 for three after five overs, SRH were in a precarious position. It was then over to Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen to steady the ship. Head, who played a rather cautious innings initially, opened up with a boundary off Sandeep Sharma in the sixth over. Klaasen, finding his rhythm, dispatched Chahal for a six over mid-wicket in the eighth over, setting the tone for the middle overs.
However, RR bowlers continued to pose challenges, limiting SRH’s scoring opportunities. A period of quiet overs ensued, and it led to Head’s dismissal, guiding a ball from Sandeep Sharma to third-man. With half the side back in the pavilion at 120 for six, SRH were in danger of not capitalizing on the foundation laid by their top order.
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Klaasen took it upon himself to change the course. He masterfully guided SRH’s lower order and lifted the score to a respectable 175 for nine. His half-century came off 33 balls, including some lusty blows towards the end. Shahbaz Ahmed, brought in as an Impact Player, added a useful 18 runs. For RR, Boult and Avesh Khan emerged as the pick of the bowlers, with Boult taking three wickets and Avesh snaring three for 27 runs.
In response, RR’s chase began with promise as Yashaswi Jaiswal looked in prime touch. He signaled his intentions early, taking Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six over mid-wicket in the very first over. Jaiswal kept the momentum going, especially targeting Bhuvneshwar, hitting three fours and a six in the sixth over. RR looked to be in a good stead at 51 for one at the end of the powerplay with Jaiswal firmly set at the crease.
However, SRH’s bowlers, particularly their spinners, seized control in the middle overs. Shahbaz Ahmed struck a crucial blow, dismissing Jaiswal for a well-made 42 off 21 balls, caught in the deep in the eighth over. Abhishek Sharma added to RR’s woes by getting rid of Sanju Samson, who lofted a shot to deep mid-wicket, caught by Markram.
Shahbaz tightened the grip further with a double-wicket over, dismissing Riyan Parag and Ashwin, who edged one to the wicketkeeper. From a promising start, RR found themselves at a dismal 80 for five in 12 overs, with SRH firmly in control.
RR’s lower order struggled to mount any resistance. Shimron Hetmyer, brought in as an Impact Player, and Rovman Powell were suffocated by tight bowling from SRH. Dhruv Jurel showed some fight, reaching his fifty off 26 balls in the penultimate over, but by then the target was beyond reach with SRH potent in their defense.
Shahbaz and Abhishek, the dynamic duo of left-arm spinners, were the pivotal forces in SRH’s win, sharing five wickets between them and conceding only 47 runs in their combined 8 overs. Their brilliant performances with the ball ensured SRH set up a grand final against KKR on Sunday in Chennai, with the TATA IPL 2024 title on the line.