Tata IPL 2024 Match 50, SRH vs RR – Match Report
Wizard Bhuvneshwar Kumar defended 13 runs in the last over as SRH pulled off a thrilling one-run win over table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in the 50th match of the Tata IPL 2024 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Bhuvneshwar had created the atmosphere of the match by taking important wickets of Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson in the first over. And then, some brilliant slog-over bowling saw SRH defend 45 runs in the last five overs with seven wickets left, RR were revived with a 134-run partnership after tremendous rescue work from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag.
Earlier, solid innings from Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen took SRH to 210/3 after being reduced to 35/2 inside the powerplay.
Defending 201, SRH got off to a great start as Bhuvneshwar Kumar had impact player Jos Buttler caught at slip on the second ball of the innings and then dismissed RR skipper Sanju Samson on a beautiful inswinger three balls later.
Vintage Bhuvneshwar Kumar
An ideal inswinger for #RR The captain struck twice in the first over.
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Marco Johnson bowled the second over tightly and gave only five runs. After this, Riyan Parag hit two fours and a six off Bhuvneshwar with confidence and authority. SRH could have got another wicket inside the powerplay, but captain Pat Cummins dropped Yashasvi Jaiswal to mid-off off Johnson in the fourth over. Jaiswal rubbed salt into SRH’s wounds as he hit two fours in the same over and then hit two fours and a six off Cummins. Parag continued to play some brilliant strokes and hit a few fours off T Natarajan, but he too was lucky as Abhishek Sharma dropped him at extra cover two balls later.
Jaiswal and Parag steadied the ship, mixed caution with aggression and revived RR. Jaiswal completed his half-century off 30 balls, while Parag completed his half-century in the same over with a reverse-lap four off Shahbaz Ahmed. The pair added 134 runs and just when it looked like it was going to be too easy for RR, Cummins brought back Natarajan, and he broke the partnership by clean bowling Jaiswal for 67 (40).
Parag continued to press forward, but with 45 runs needed, Cummins brought himself back into the attack. He piled on the pressure by conceding just two runs from his first four balls and the pressure increased on Parag as he lofted his lofted straight to the long on fielder at 77(49).
Riyan Parag was on his merry way tonight
He departs after counter-attacking 77(49) #RR 42 runs needed on 24 balls!
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The SRH captain gave just three runs in the over. When 42 runs were needed off 24 balls, Rovman Powell responded directly, hitting two fours off Jensen, bringing the equation down to 27 runs needed off 18 balls. After this, Hetmyer hit a 106 meter long six off Natarajan to start the 18th over, but the SRH fast bowler made a strong comeback and got Hetmyer caught at long on after three balls. After hitting a six on the first ball, he gave only one run on the next five balls.
When 20 runs were needed from 12, Cummins had Dhruv Jurel caught at deep square leg on the very first ball of the last over. He changed his pace significantly in the next four balls and gave just one run. But Powell hit a powerful six over deep cover on the last ball to reduce the equation to 13 runs needed off six.
Experienced Bhuvneshwar was given the responsibility of defending 13 runs in the last over. R Ashwin took a single on the first ball. Powell dribbles one down to long on and moves quickly for a couple. He hit a four on fine leg in a funny manner. When six were needed from three, Powell bowled a ball over long off and hit a six for another couple, and then flicked one to deep square leg and hit a six for a couple and dived to complete the second and the keeper broke the stumps. Replays showed that Powell had made it.
When two runs were needed on the last ball, Bhuvneshwar bowled a low full toss which Powell wanted to flick but missed and hit the pads. SRH appealed and the umpire raised the finger to the delight of the SRH players, management and fans. Powell opted for review, but replays showed three reds. SRH had achieved a famous win.
Wave of happiness in Hyderabad
terrible turn of events from @Sunrisers‘The bowlers achieved a thrilling victory.
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Earlier, SRH won the toss and decided to bat against the table-toppers on their home ground. The match started brilliantly when on the very first ball of Trent Boult, Riyan Parag dropped the catch of Travis Head at backward point, the ball went through his hands and crossed the fence. This could have been another first wicket for Boult and a great start for the visitors. Throughout the tournament, SRH have been the most dangerous team in the powerplay. Today, while he gave life to Head with the first ball, he also did very well in keeping the aggressive top order calm during fielding restrictions. Boult started the bowling but at the other end he introduced the off-spin of R Ashwin. Although the off-spinner may not have got a wicket, he put enough pressure on the left-arm pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head.
In the first four overs, SRH scored only 25 runs and that pressure prompted Abhishek to pull the first ball of Avesh Khan to deep square-leg in the fifth over. Anmolpreet Singh came in at number three and started confidently with a four over midwicket. However, in the last over of the powerplay, he dismissed Sandeep Sharma at short midwicket. At the end of the powerplay, SRH’s score was 37 runs for two wickets.
Head and Nitish Reddy started the rescue and stitched a sensible partnership that brought SRH back into the game. Together, they added 96 runs inside 10 overs to get the SRH train back on track. Initially, he took some time and rotated the strike. When Yuzvendra Chahal came to bowl the ninth over, Head changed gears.
travis head breaking bond #SRH Go ahead and reach 75/2 in half a step
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The SRH opener hit a six over mid-wicket on the fourth ball, followed by a single down the ground. The last ball was lofted through mid-wicket for another four. Nitish was also inspired by him and hit a six off Ashwin’s ball in the next over. At half time SRH’s score was 75 runs for two wickets.
The change in gear by the batsmen ensured that boundaries were scored more frequently. Head completed his half-century in 37 balls in the 12th over. His fastest century this year, scored in 39 balls, tells you the difficulty of the task facing him today – RR bowlers have put the pressure on early.
In the 13th over, Nitish really attacked Chahal and scored 21 runs. He was trying to play aggressively and even tried some reverse-sweeps. However, when he targeted areas below ground he managed to clear the ground. Head had already crossed fifty, Nitish was closing the gap and getting closer with a change in approach.
Head survived a run-out appeal in the 15th over when Sanju Samson bowled the ball onto the stumps from behind the wicket. However, Head tried to scoop the charge on the next ball but the ball bounced back onto his stumps. He returned after playing an important inning of 58 runs in 44 balls.
,@RajasthanRoyals Get the prized wicket of Travis Head
Avesh Khan got the second wicket of the night
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Heinrich Klaasen joined Nitish and the pair set out on the journey to the target of 200. Nitish completed his half-century and then hit aggressive shots off Ashwin. In the slog overs, Klaasen took most of the strike and made good use of it.
A flat batted maximum, ft Heinrich Klaasen motiv
His late bloom helped #SRH Cross the 2⃣0⃣0⃣ mark
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This right-handed batsman remained unbeaten after scoring 42 runs in just 19 balls with the help of three sixes and three fours. This ensured that SRH crossed 200 runs on the last ball of the innings. Nitish remained unbeaten at the other end on 76 off 42 balls – his highest score in the Tata IPL. Remarkably, his innings consisted of eight sixes with only three fours. Jos Buttler came in to open the batting as the impact player in place of Yuzvendra Chahal, while Jaydev Unadkat was introduced as SRH’s impact player in place of Anmolpreet Singh.
