Sports Desk
24 May
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a thrilling second qualifier match of the IPL held at the Chidambaram Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs, securing their spot in the final. Hyderabad will now face Kolkata Knight Riders for the coveted title.
Rajasthan Royals’ captain Sanju Samson won the toss and opted to bowl first. Sunrisers Hyderabad, invited to bat, posted a challenging total of 175 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Henrik Klaassen top-scored with a crucial 50 runs, supported by valuable contributions from Travis Head (34) and Rahul Tripathi (37).
In response, Rajasthan Royals started well with an opening partnership of 24 runs between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Jaiswal scored a brisk 42 runs off 21 balls, including 4 fours and 3 sixes, while Kohler-Cadmore managed 10 runs from 16 balls.
Despite the promising start, Rajasthan’s batting lineup faltered. Captain Sanju Samson was dismissed for 10 runs by Abhishek Sharma. The middle order collapsed with Ryan Parag (6), Ravichandran Ashwin (0), Shimron Hetmyer (4), and Rovman Powell (6) failing to make significant contributions.
Dhruv Jurel played a lone hand for Rajasthan, scoring an unbeaten 56 runs, but his effort was in vain as Rajasthan could only manage 139 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their 20 overs. Hyderabad’s disciplined bowling attack ensured that Rajasthan fell short by 36 runs, knocking them out of the tournament.
This victory propels Sunrisers Hyderabad into the IPL final, where they will compete against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 26 at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. The final promises to be an exciting clash as both teams vie for the championship title.
Hyderabad’s comprehensive win in the qualifier underscores their form and momentum heading into the final, setting the stage for a gripping finale to the IPL season.