In a dramatic showdown at Chennai, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) emerged victorious over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, marching into the finals with a commanding 36-run win. This triumph marks yet another chapter in SRH’s quest for IPL glory as they set their sights on competing for the coveted title.
On what started as a hotly contested afternoon, the Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to field, hoping to harness their bowling strength and restrict SRH to a manageable score. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, carried forward their aggressive blueprint, initiating their innings with an assertive positivity that has become their hallmark throughout IPL 2024. The opening overs were a mixed bag for SRH as they lost a handful of wickets early on, but maintained their attacking strategy nonetheless. Notably, Trent Boult, the standout bowler for RR, delivered early blows to the Sunrisers by dismissing key players and cramping their innings.
The innings began with Abhishek Sharma batting aggressively, clobbering a six over mid-wicket followed by a four. However, Boult, in an inspired spell of bowling, soon struck back. Sharma fell victim to a well-disguised bouncer, succumbing to a mishap on the off-side that ensured his early departure. Rahul Tripathi stepped in next and displayed commendable composure, adopting a counter-attacking stance. He dazzled with exquisite stroke-play, even taking on the likes of R Ashwin and Trent Boult himself. His fervent performance injected a much-needed tempo into the SRH innings, where compromise was not an option.
Despite losing crucial wickets during the powerplay, SRH, having gathered momentum with Tripathi’s contribution, pushed their score to 57 for three at the conclusion of the fifth over. As the innings progressed, former Australian international Travis Head and the in-form Heinrich Klaasen were tasked with rehabilitating the innings. Head gradually found his feet by the sixth over, playing a supportive role as Klaasen started to dictate proceedings by launching Yuzvendra Chahal over mid-wicket for a towering six in the eighth over.
A sequence of quiet overs followed, resulting in a lapse that saw Head guiding a delivery to third-man, resulting in his dismissal.
. Nevertheless, Klaasen kept the SRH ship afloat. When Nitish Reddy and Abdul Samad fell in quick succession to Avesh Khan in the 14th over, the Sunrisers appeared to be teetering. Yet, Klaasen had other plans, ushering his side past the 120-run mark and accelerating towards a formidable total of 175 for nine. Despite the disciplined bowling displayed by RR’s Avesh Khan (three for 27), Sandeep Sharma (two for 25), and Boult (three wickets), Klaasen’s fighting 50 off 33 balls provided the innings with a decisive flourish.
As RR embarked on their chase, Yashaswi Jaiswal exhibited his prowess right from the outset, taking Bhuvneshwar Kumar apart by unleashing a string of boundaries, including a massive six over mid-wicket. Jaiswal’s attacking groundwork forwarded RR’s cause tremendously. Nonetheless, all hopes were pinned on him. As SRH’s spinners took the stage, spearheaded by Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma, the narrative of Rajasthan’s chase took a disconcerting turn. Abhishek dismissed Sanju Samson who aimed for a colossal hit only to be caught in the deep, and Ahmed then struck with a critical dual-wicket over, tightening SRH’s grip.
With the scoreboard reading 80 for five at the end of the 12th over, RR found themselves at an impasse. Efforts to revive their innings saw Shimron Hetmyer brought in as an Impact Player, but he was met with steadfast bowling constraints that thwarted any resurgence. Similarly, batsman Rovman Powell was systematically subdued. Despite mounting pressure and a hefty target, Dhruv Jurel stood resilient, showcasing remarkable temperament under duress. His courageous fifty off 26 balls lit a spark, yet it was too late for an RR reversal.
Ultimately, it was the virtuoso performance from SRH’s left-arm spinning duo of Shahbaz and Abhishek, who collectively claimed five pivotal wickets, ensuring RR was held to 139 in their innings. This indomitable display etched SRH’s name into the tournament finals, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying rematch against the formidable Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2024 final clash, continuing the quest for their illustrious title.