Sunrisers Hyderabad Seal Final Berth with Commanding Win Over Rajasthan Royals
Sunrisers Hyderabad booked their place in the IPL 2024 final with a convincing 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Put in to bat first, SRH posted a competitive 175/9 on the board. The Royals' chase faltered in the absence of significant dew, with the SRH spinners, Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed, running riot, claiming a combined five wickets to dismantle the Rajasthan top order.
SRH Bat First and Set a Target of 176
Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, the Sunrisers managed a decent total. Key contributions came from middle-order batsmen Rahul Tripathi (38) and Abhishek Sharma (27), who steadied the innings after a shaky start. In the death overs, some quick cameos from Nicholas Pooran (24) and Jason Holder (22) propelled SRH to a fighting score.
Rajasthan's Chase Crumbles Against SRH Spinners
The Royals' hopes for a comfortable chase were dashed by the lack of dew and some excellent bowling from the SRH spinners. Openers Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal fell cheaply, and the middle order, apart from a fighting knock from Sanju Samson (42), failed to capitalize.
Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed spun a web around the Rajasthan batsmen, taking crucial wickets at regular intervals. Jofra Archer provided some late resistance with a 20-ball 32, but it was too little, too late for the Royals.
Sunrisers Hyderabad to Face Kolkata Knight Riders in the Final
With this win, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have reached their third IPL final. They will now lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders in a mouthwatering summit clash at the same venue on Sunday. The stage is set for an exciting finale to the IPL 2024 season!