 |
| File photo |
Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by an outstanding bowling performance from Shahbaz Ahmed, defeated Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier-2 to advance to the final of IPL 2024. This marks Hyderabad's first appearance in the final since the 2018 season when they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). After a six-year hiatus, Hyderabad is set to compete in the final once again. Their opponent will be Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who secured their spot in the final by defeating Sunrisers in Qualifier-1.
Match Highlights
Rajasthan's captain Sanju Samson won the toss and opted to bowl first. Despite a poor start, Hyderabad recovered, thanks to a 50-run knock off 34 balls by Heinrich Klaasen, finishing at 175/9 in 20 overs. In response, Dhruv Jurel's half-century kept Rajasthan in the game, but the required run rate proved too high. Rajasthan managed 139/7 in 20 overs. Shahbaz Ahmed, as an impact player, led Hyderabad's bowling attack with three wickets, causing Rajasthan's batting lineup to falter.
Rajasthan's Sixth Playoff Defeat
This defeat marks Rajasthan's sixth loss in 11 IPL playoff matches. Rajasthan now holds the unwanted record of the most playoff losses, with RCB holding the top spot with 10 losses in 16 matches. CSK follows with nine losses in 26 playoff matches. This is Hyderabad's third appearance in an IPL final, having first reached and won the title in 2016.
Steady Start by Jaiswal
Chasing the target, Rajasthan got off to a steady start with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler-Cadmore. However, Hyderabad's captain Pat Cummins broke the partnership by dismissing Kohler-Cadmore for 10. Jaiswal continued to score quickly but fell short of his half-century, getting out to Shahbaz Ahmed for 42 off 21 balls.
Rajasthan's Collapse
Following Jaiswal's dismissal, Rajasthan's innings collapsed. Except for Jurel, no other batsman could play a significant innings. Hyderabad's bowlers, led by Shahbaz, took wickets at regular intervals, restricting Rajasthan's batsmen. Jurel fought valiantly, scoring 56 not out off 35 balls, but it wasn't enough to secure a win for his team.
Cummins Matches Kumble's Record
Pat Cummins has taken 17 wickets this season, matching Anil Kumble's record for the most wickets by a captain in an IPL season. Kumble set the record in 2010 while leading RCB. The record for most wickets by a captain in an IPL season is held by Shane Warne, who took 19 wickets in 2008. Cummins needs three more wickets in the final to surpass Warne's record.
Bolt's Early Strikes
Rajasthan's captain Sanju Samson's decision to bowl first paid off as fast bowler Trent Boult struck early. Boult dismissed Abhishek Sharma for 12 in the first over and later took the wickets of Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram. Boult's three wickets in the powerplay put Hyderabad under pressure, bringing his tally to 12 powerplay wickets this season.
Boult Completes 100 T20 Powerplay Wickets
Boult's outstanding performance against Hyderabad saw him reach 100 T20 powerplay wickets. He is the third bowler to achieve this milestone, following David Willey (128 wickets) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (118 wickets).
Hyderabad's Batsmen Under Pressure
Following Boult's early strikes, Hyderabad's batsmen struggled under pressure. Despite recent poor performances, Travis Head managed to score 34 off 28 balls before being dismissed by Sandeep Sharma. Nitish Reddy, usually consistent, was out for just five runs to Avesh Khan, who also bowled Abdul Samad for a duck.
Klaasen's Fifty
In the midst of falling wickets, Heinrich Klaasen stabilized Hyderabad's innings with a crucial half-century. His partnership with Shahbaz Ahmed helped Hyderabad post a competitive total. Klaasen was eventually bowled by Sandeep Sharma, and Shahbaz was dismissed by Avesh Khan in the final over, with Jaydev Unadkat run out on the last ball of the innings, contributing five runs off two balls.
© www.cricketxpedia.com
