In an electrifying display of cricketing prowess, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) stormed to an emphatic 10-wicket victory against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The match witnessed a spectacular exhibition of batting from SRH’s Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who stole the spotlight and demonstrated why their batting lineup is among the most formidable in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. With a target of 166 posted by LSG, SRH achieved the chase in just 9.4 overs, underlining their dominance in what was a one-sided affair.
As the game commenced, SRH’s intent was clear from the get-go. Known for their dominance in the powerplay phase throughout the tournament, they once again set the stage ablaze by scoring a staggering 107 runs in just six overs. This explosive start effectively sealed the game early, leaving the LSG bowlers with no margin for error. The left-handed opening pair of Head and Sharma were relentless, ensuring that the opposition bowlers faced the brunt.
Remarkably, SRH had a reserved start, scoring only eight runs in the first over. However, the fireworks began in the second over when Abhishek Sharma unleashed a flurry of boundaries, hitting Yash Thakur for four consecutive fours. When K Gowtham was brought in for the third over, Travis Head joined the fray, amassing 22 runs which included three sixes and a four. This forced LSG captain KL Rahul to bring in spin wizard Ravi Bishnoi in the fourth over, but the counterattack from SRH continued unabated with runs flowing freely.
By the time Naveen-ul-Haq came to bowl the fifth over, Travis Head was already in full swing, racing away to a 16-ball half-century, adding 23 more runs to the tally in that over. The final over of the powerplay saw Abhishek Sharma maintaining the pressure as he matched Head’s aggression, taking SRH past the 100-run mark. When the field spread post-powerplay, there was an expectation of some respite for the LSG bowlers, but that wasn’t to be. Head continued his onslaught by slog-sweeping the very first ball of the seventh over for a six over mid-wicket, and Sharma soon followed suit, reaching his fifty by hitting a massive six over long-on.
Boundaries rained from both ends of the pitch as SRH continued their rampage, with Head and Sharma seemingly in a race to finish the chase within 10 overs.
. The historic win was sealed when Abhishek Smarma hammered Yash Thakur for a towering six over cover. Travis Head remained unbeaten on a blistering 89 off just 30 balls, while Abhishek Sharma finished on 75 not out off 28 balls. The match statistics reflected SRH’s dominance, featuring 16 fours and 14 sixes, leaving LSG bowlers with figures they’d rather forget.
Prior to being smothered by SRH’s batting might, LSG managed a respectable total of 165, largely due to a resilient partnership between Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran. Both batsmen stood firm amidst SRH’s aggressive bowling, with Badoni remaining not out on 55 off 30 balls and Pooran contributing an unbeaten 48 off 26 balls. Their 99-run stand dominated the latter half of the innings, offering a stark contrast to LSG’s struggles during the first ten overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was instrumental in SRH’s bowling attack, applying early pressure that saw LSG lose their top order wickets rapidly. In his first three overs, Bhuvneshwar conceded just seven runs while taking crucial wickets of Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis. By the end of the powerplay, LSG were restricted to a meager 27 for two, and the rebuilding phase began with Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul. Pandya shifted gears in the eighth over, targeting Jaydev Unadkat for two sixes. However, LSG’s struggle continued when Rahul departed for 29 and Pandya was run-out for 24 in the 12th over.
It was during the partnership between Pooran and Badoni that LSG’s innings found some semblance of momentum. Badoni’s aggression, particularly in the 14th over bowled by T Natarajan, saw a surge with three boundaries and a productive 16-run over. They managed to score consistently over 10 runs an over from the 14th onward, barring Bhuvneshwar’s economical final over, which capped off his spell at an impressive two for 12. Badoni reached his fifty in the penultimate over, and the final two overs added 34 runs to LSG’s total, propelling them to 165.
Despite a commendable recovery in the latter half of their innings, LSG’s bowlers were outclassed by the sheer brilliance of Head and Sharma. The SRH duo’s commanding performance ensured that what seemed like a competitive target was chased down effortlessly, securing SRH an emphatic victory and leaving LSG to ponder over a day overshadowed by one of the most dominating performances in IPL 2024.