Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have secured their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final following a commendable 36-run victory against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2, held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This win ensures SRH a rematch against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the ultimate prize, set to take place on Sunday at the same venue.
Upon being invited to bat first by Rajasthan Royals, SRH embarked on their innings with a clear intent to dominate, which has been a hallmark of their strategy throughout this season. Despite losing early wickets in the powerplay overs, thanks to Trent Boult’s incisive bowling, the team maintained an aggressive approach. Boult, demonstrating his prowess, struck early blows to dismiss SRH’s key player Abhishek Sharma, who had initially ignited their innings with a powerful six and a subsequent four.
Travis Head and Rahul Tripathi then took center stage, adopting contrasting tactics to stabilize the innings. While Head played cautiously, Tripathi unleashed a flurry of attacking strokes against Rajasthan’s bowlers, including R Ashwin. Tripathi’s aggressive 15-ball 37-run cameo not only countered Boult’s threat but also set a positive momentum for SRH. However, Boult soon dismissed both Tripathi and Aiden Markram, pegging back SRH to 57 for three within five overs.
Following these setbacks, Heinrich Klaasen and Head embarked on a rebuilding mission. As Klaasen took charge, finding the boundaries with confidence, Head too started contributing, albeit maintaining a cautious approach. Klaasen demonstrated exceptional form, guiding the innings past the 100-run mark and driving the SRH innings towards respectability alongside newly introduced Shahbaz Ahmed.
Avesh Khan posed challenges for SRH with impactful bowling in the middle overs. His delivery led to Nitish Reddy’s dismissal, followed by the removal of Abdul Samad on the first ball of his spell, intensifying RR’s grip on the proceedings.
. However, undeterred, Klaasen surged towards completing his half-century, securing it in 33 balls and ensuring SRH ended with a competitive 175 for nine. Contributions from both Sandeep Sharma and Avesh Khan, who finished with bowling figures of 2 for 25 and 3 for 27 respectively, were vital in containing SRH’s total.
Rajasthan Royals commenced their chase with Yashaswi Jaiswal demonstrating flair, especially against SRH’s seasoned bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Jaiswal’s aggressive play put RR off to a credible start, leaving them well-placed at 51 for one by the end of the powerplay. However, SRH’s spinners soon turned the tide in their favor.
Shahbaz Ahmed dealt the first blow when he dismissed Jaiswal for a brisk 42 off just 21 balls, catching him at the boundary. Abhishek Sharma added to the pressure, removing Sanju Samson, RR’s captain, who fell to a well-placed catch by Markram. Shahbaz Ahmed’s exceptional performance with the ball included a crucial double-wicket over, dismissing Riyan Parag and R Ashwin, leaving RR struggling at 80 for five in 12 overs.
Despite the best efforts of young Dhruv Jurel, who valiantly fought till the end with a brave 26-ball fifty, RR could never recover from the severe blows dealt by SRH’s spinners. Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, introduced to accelerate the innings, found it challenging to navigate SRH’s disciplined bowling attack, which continuously shackled their scoring opportunities.
Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma’s combined spin assault, which yielded five wickets while conceding only 47 runs in eight overs, ultimately proved decisive. Their performance set up SRH for a decisive victory, ensuring their progression to the highly anticipated final against KKR.
As SRH now gears up to face KKR, cricket fans eagerly anticipate an electrifying final showdown at Chennai’s iconic stadium. With Hyderabad’s bowlers delivering under pressure, and their anchored batting displays, they aim to duplicate their Qualifier 1 matchup victory over KKR, where they hope to lift the IPL 2024 trophy and etch their name into the annals of TATA IPL history once again.