In a thrilling contest at Chennai, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured their ticket to the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final, delivering a commanding 36-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. The triumph, underscored by a potent combination of aggressive batting and disciplined bowling, has set the stage for a much-anticipated final showdown against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Opting to bat first upon Rajasthan Royals’ invitation, Sunrisers Hyderabad maintained their aggressive approach—an attacking style that has been their hallmark throughout this IPL season. In the opening powerplay, despite the early loss of wickets, SRH sustained their momentum, particularly through the fireworks of Abhishek Sharma. Sharma began the innings with flair, smashing a six and a four, although it was RR’s pace spearhead, Trent Boult, who delivered the early blows for his team. Boult struck with precision, extracting a false shot from Sharma, leading to a crucial scalp in the opening over.
Meanwhile, Travis Head and Rahul Tripathi formed a pivotal partnership at the crease, with Tripathi taking the reins of attack. Known for his fearless stroke play, Tripathi showed no hesitation, irrespective of the bowler. He launched a calculated assault against RR’s seasoned spinner R Ashwin, edging a boundary through third-man and, soon after, targeting Boult with a flurry of fours and sixes. However, his aggressive innings came to an end when he guided Boult’s slower delivery straight to short third-man, ending an exciting innings of 37 off just 15 balls.
Boult continued his impactful spell by dismissing SRH’s skipper Aiden Markram, securing a catch at short third-man by Yuzvendra Chahal. By the end of the fifth over, SRH found themselves at a precarious 57 for three. The innings required rebuilding, and this task was shouldered by Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen. Head, who had been relatively quiet, broke the shackles with a boundary off Sandeep Sharma in the sixth over. Klaasen, determined to change the tempo, launched Chahal high over mid-wicket for a six, setting the stage for the latter part of the innings.
As the innings progressed, the Royals posed challenges with timely wickets, courtesy of Avesh Khan’s exceptional spell. Khan’s crucial double strike in the 14th over saw Nitish Reddy caught at third-man and Abdul Samad bowled with his very first ball.
. Despite the setbacks, Klaasen held firm, leading a late surge that propelled SRH from 120 for six to a respectable 175 for nine. Klaasen’s resilient half-century from 33 deliveries, along with Shahbaz Ahmed’s vital 18 runs, ensured that SRH’s bowlers had a solid target to defend. For the Royals, Boult, Sandeep, and Avesh emerged as the pick of the bowlers with brilliantly executed spells.
Rajasthan’s chase began with promise as Yashaswi Jaiswal showcased early aggression, picking Bhuvneshwar Kumar apart in the first over. However, SRH’s bowlers remained composed, and Pat Cummins provided the initial breakthrough by dismissing Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Despite Jaiswal’s explosive batting display, which momentarily put the Royals in a favorable position at 51 for one during the powerplay, the spinners soon dominated the middle overs.
Shahbaz Ahmed was instrumental, removing the threatening Yashaswi in the eighth over with a well-judged catch in the deep. Markram followed up by dismissing Sanju Samson, who succumbed to a tempting delivery. The momentum was clearly shifting as Shahbaz tightened the noose further with a double blow in the 12th over, sending Riyan Parag and Ashwin back to the pavilion, reducing RR to a dismal 80 for five.
Rajasthan’s middle order struggled to create partnerships as SRH’s bowlers stifled any potential comeback attempts. Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, despite being deployed as Impact Players, found it challenging to counter the effective bowling attack. However, Dhruv Jurel provided a silver lining amidst the struggle, bravely resisting SRH’s bowling and showcasing his resilience by reaching a well-fought fifty off 26 balls. Yet, the fightback came too late as SRH’s bowlers had firmly controlled the match’s narrative.
The spinning duo of Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma stood out with five wickets between them, crucially conceding just 47 runs in their collective eight overs. Their performance not only disrupted RR’s run chase but also paved the way for SRH’s march into the final. As the cricketing world anticipates the showdown in Chennai, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders gear up for what promises to be an electrifying IPL 2024 final clash.