The Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged victorious in their final league stage match of the IPL 2024, defeating the Punjab Kings by 4 wickets. This win solidifies Hyderabad’s position in the top half of the table and strengthens their chances of finishing in the coveted top two.
Chasing a challenging target of 215 runs, Hyderabad chased it down with relative ease, losing only 6 wickets in 19.1 overs. Opener Abhishek Sharma led the charge with a blistering knock of 66 runs off just 28 balls, peppering the boundaries with 11 fours and sixes. Heinrich Klaasen provided valuable support with a 26-ball 42, including three boundaries and two sixes.
Despite early dismissals for openers Travis Head and Rahul Tripathi, contributions from Nitesh Kumar Reddy (37 runs) ensured Hyderabad stayed on track. Punjab’s bowling attack, led by Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel with two wickets each, couldn’t prevent the inevitable defeat.
Earlier, Punjab Kings, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted a competitive total of 214 runs on the board for the loss of 5 wickets. Opener Prabhsimran Singh anchored the innings with a well-made 71 runs off 45 balls, including seven boundaries and four sixes. Atharva Taide (46 runs) and Jitesh Sharma (32 runs) also chipped in with valuable contributions.
Despite a quickfire 49 off 24 balls with seven boundaries, Rilee Rossouw couldn’t convert his start into a bigger score. Hyderabad’s bowling attack, spearheaded by T Natarajan’s two wickets for 33 runs, restricted the Punjab batsmen effectively. Pat Cummins and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth also chipped in with a wicket each.
With this win, Hyderabad solidifies their second position in the points table with 17 points from 14 matches. Today’s second match between Kolkata and Rajasthan will determine Hyderabad’s final opponent in the first qualifier. A Rajasthan win will see them face Kolkata, while a loss will pit Hyderabad against Kolkata in the first qualifier. Rain washing out the second match would automatically place Hyderabad in the second position due to their superior net run rate.
The race for the playoffs gets even tighter with Royal Challengers Bangalore occupying the fourth position with 14 points. The third-placed team will face Bangalore in an eliminator match, with the winner taking on the loser of the first qualifier for a chance to reach the finals.
