Hyderabad: In a high-octane clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a scintillating batting performance to chase down 215, securing a thrilling four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 69 of the TATA IPL 2024. This triumph catapults SRH to the second spot in the points table, positioning them strongly for a spot in Qualifier 1.
The chase began shakily for SRH as Impact Player Arshdeep Singh bowled out Travis Head on the very first ball. However, Abhishek Sharma's explosive 66 off 28 balls, coupled with Rahul Tripathi's brisk 33 off 18 balls, laid a solid foundation. Their 72-run partnership off just 30 balls revived SRH's innings.
After their departures, Nitish Reddy (37 off 25) and Heinrich Klaasen (42 off 26) maintained the aggressive momentum. In the end, Abdul Samad and Sanvir Singh steered SRH home, with Sanvir hitting a boundary to secure the win with five balls to spare.
Earlier, PBKS, under the leadership of stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma due to the absence of Shikhar Dhawan and Sam Curran, opted to bat first. Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Atharva Taide provided a strong start, scoring 61 runs in the Powerplay. Taide's 46 off 27 balls and Prabhsimran's 50 off 34 balls put PBKS in a commanding position.
However, a late collapse, triggered by key wickets from SRH's bowlers, restricted PBKS to 214/5 despite a late surge from Jitesh Sharma, who scored an unbeaten 32 off 15 balls. SRH's disciplined bowling in the final overs, led by T Natarajan and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, played a crucial role in containing PBKS's score.
In response, SRH's top and middle order rose to the occasion. Abhishek Sharma and Tripathi set the tone, while Reddy and Klaasen continued the assault. Despite losing a few wickets towards the end, the calm finishing by Samad and Sanvir ensured a successful chase.
With this clinical win, SRH have moved to the second spot in the points table. The outcome of the next game will determine whether it is SRH or Rajasthan Royals who will join Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Qualifier 1. The stage is set for an exciting finish to the league phase of the tournament as teams vie for a spot in the playoffs.