In a thrilling encounter held at the historic cricket venue in Chennai, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clinched their place in the highly anticipated final of the TATA Indian Premier League 2024. They achieved this remarkable feat with a commendable 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2, showcasing a brilliant all-round performance. SRH, having won the toss, took the strategic decision to bat first and successfully posted a competitive total of 175 runs, setting the stage for a fiercely contested match.
The decision to bat first proved to be the right one for Sunrisers Hyderabad, as they set an aggressive tone right from the start, a characteristic they have displayed consistently throughout this season’s IPL. Despite facing an early setback with the fall of a few quick wickets in the powerplay, SRH maintained their aggression. Trent Boult, representing Rajasthan Royals, was the chief destructor initially as he made early inroads, claiming crucial wickets. Abhishek Sharma set the tone with a thrilling start, hitting a six over mid-wicket and following it up with a boundary, but Boult quickly struck back, inducing a false shot that was caught on the off-side.
At the crease, Travis Head took his time to settle in while Rahul Tripathi took on the role of the aggressor at the other end. Tripathi was combative, unfazed by the quality of the bowling, and continued his onslaught. In Ashwin’s initial over, Tripathi edged a four through the third-man region, setting the stage for what would be an electrifying display of batting. As Boult returned for another spell, he was greeted with boundaries from Tripathi, including two fours and a six off Ashwin. Yet, in his pursuit of another boundary, Tripathi fell to Boult, having scored a quickfire 37 runs off just 15 deliveries.
The dismissal of Tripathi could have ushered in a period of consolidation, but Boult wasn’t done, claiming the scalp of Aiden Markram soon after, caught by Yuzvendra Chahal at short third-man. SRH found themselves at 57 for three after five overs. It was then that Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen came together to stabilize the innings. Head, having been relatively quiet, started to open up, hitting Sandeep Sharma for his first boundary in the sixth over. Klaasen made his intentions clear by launching Chahal over mid-wicket for a massive six in the eighth over.
As the innings progressed, SRH’s momentum took a slight dip with Klaasen playing the anchor role. Rajasthan’s bowlers employed effective strategies to keep the run-rate in check, and Avesh Khan executed a double blow in the 14th over. Nitish Reddy’s attempt at a reverse sweep backfired as he found himself caught at third-man, marking Chahal’s third catch of the day.
. Following suit, Abdul Samad was bowled off the very next delivery.
Heinrich Klaasen, demonstrating tenacity, steered the SRH innings forward, guiding them to a position of strength from 120 for six. His effort was rewarded with a half-century off 33 balls, exhibiting a mix of precision and power. Shahbaz Ahmed, introduced as an Impact Player, contributed valuable runs towards the end, scoring 18 to help SRH reach a respectable total of 175 for the loss of nine wickets. Among Rajasthan’s bowlers, Sandeep Sharma (2 for 25) and Avesh Khan (3 for 27) emerged as the standout performers, with Boult adding three crucial wickets to his tally.
Rajasthan Royals commenced their chase with Yashaswi Jaiswal leaving an early mark, smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six over mid-wicket in the opening over. Despite the bright start, SRH found a breakthrough when Pat Cummins delivered a pivotal strike, dismissing Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Jaiswal, however, appeared undeterred, launching an assault in the sixth over with a flurry of fours and a six against Bhuvneshwar, completing the powerplay at 51 for one, placing RR in a promising position.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the favor of SRH during the middle overs due to the impactful spells of their spinners. Shahbaz Ahmed’s introduction paid immediate dividends, as he broke the shackles by dismissing Jaiswal, who was caught deep in the eighth over after a brisk 42 runs off 21 balls. Sanju Samson too perished under pressure, lofting one to deep mid-wicket, where Aiden Markram made no mistake in the field.
The impressive duo of Shahbaz and Abhishek Sharma maintained relentless pressure with their economical spells, effectively stifling the RR batting lineup. Shahbaz delivered a crucial double-wicket strike in the 12th over, sending Riyan Parag and R Ashwin back to the pavilion. With 80 runs on the board and half the side back in the dugout by the 12th over, RR faced an uphill battle.
Despite the introduction of Shimron Hetmyer as an Impact Player to revive their chase, SRH’s bowlers suffocated the RR innings, denying any significant partnerships. Dhruv Jurel, the sole RR batter offering resistance, showcased commendable grit in reaching his fifty off 26 deliveries in the second last over. However, this tenacious display couldn’t alter the outcome, as SRH remained on the path to victory.
Securing the win with impressive bowling performances, particularly from their spin department, SRH’s victory was characterized by crucial contributions from Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma. Together, the left-arm spinners accounted for five wickets and gave away only 47 runs in eight crucial overs, sealing SRH’s passage back to the final, where they are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders in the decisive clash in Chennai on Sunday.