IPL 2024 Match 35: Sunrisers Hyderabad’s PowerPlay Prowess Propels Them to Record-breaking Victory
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma led a remarkable PowerPlay performance for Sunrisers Hyderabad, setting a new record as they surpassed the 250-run mark for the third time this season. They took full advantage of the favorable batting conditions provided by Delhi Capitals in their first IPL 2024 encounter.
The duo formed a formidable partnership, accumulating 131 runs in just 6.2 overs. Later in the innings, Shahbaz Ahmed’s half-century further bolstered SRH’s total to 266/7. Despite a strong effort from Delhi Capitals, with Jake Fraser-McGurk smashing the season’s fastest fifty with a 65 off 18 balls, T Natarajan’s exceptional bowling performance, claiming career-best figures of 4 for 19, dashed any hopes of a close contest. This victory propelled SRH to second place in the standings, with a significant boost to their net run rate.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Smash T20 Record with Explosive PowerPlay Blitz Against Rivals
Rishabh Pant made the decision to field first, opting to put his bowlers under the pressure of the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s aggressive batting line-up on what seemed like a batting-friendly pitch. The match began with Khaleel Ahmed delivering the first over. Initially, there was little indication of the onslaught that would follow, as the first ball resulted in a dot. However, Travis Head, the Australian batsman, quickly found his rhythm, smashing a six off the next delivery, followed by two fours in consecutive balls. The over concluded with a single, bringing the total to a remarkable 19 runs, although this turned out to be the most economical over of the PowerPlay.
The momentum continued into the second over, bowled by Lalit Yadav, as Head struck two sixes, a four, and a single, accumulating 21 runs. Anrich Nortje took over for the third over, where the onslaught continued with Head hitting two fours and a six among other runs, totaling 22 runs for the over.
The fourth over, once again bowled by Lalit Yadav, saw another display of power hitting from the batting side, with Head and his partner, Abhishek, hitting sixes and fours, leading to a total of 21 runs. Kuldeep Yadav took the ball for the fifth over, but the trend of boundaries continued as the Sunrisers’ batsmen scored 20 runs off his over.
The sixth and final over of the PowerPlay, delivered by Mukesh Kumar, saw a flurry of boundaries as Head and Abhishek continued to punish the bowlers. Four boundaries and a six propelled the Sunrisers’ score to an astonishing 125/0 at the end of six overs, setting a new T20 record.
Head’s blistering innings saw him reach 84 runs off just 26 balls, coming agonizingly close to breaking Suresh Raina’s record for most runs scored by a batter in the IPL PowerPlay. He also equaled the joint-fastest half-century of IPL 2024, achieved in just 16 balls. Meanwhile, Abhishek, though receiving fewer balls, maintained an incredible strike rate of 400, smashing seven boundaries, including two fours and five sixes, to reach 40 runs off just 10 balls. Together, they propelled their team to a phenomenal start, reaching milestones of 50 runs in 2.4 overs and 100 runs in just 5 overs.
Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav provided some relief for Delhi Capitals after Sunrisers Hyderabad had set a daunting target less than a week prior. In that match, SRH seemed poised to break T20 scoring records once again, with a remarkable opening partnership. However, Abhishek Sharma’s dismissal, caught by Axar Patel off Kuldeep Yadav’s delivery, halted his charge towards a potentially record-breaking half-century. This wicket marked the end of a formidable partnership and gave Delhi’s bowlers a glimmer of hope.
Kuldeep and Axar’s Spin Masterclass Brings Respite for Delhi Capitals Against Sunrisers Hyderabad
Subsequently, Kuldeep and Axar managed to stabilize the situation to some extent. Kuldeep claimed another wicket in the seventh over, inducing a mis-hit from Aiden Markram, while Axar delivered an over without conceding any boundaries. Although Heinrich Klaasen struck two sixes off Kuldeep in the ninth over, the spinner had him caught at long-on by the end of the over. Despite threatening to break records, Klaasen eventually fell to Axar in the 10th over, leaving SRH with a less impressive scoreline after their explosive start.
Axar’s bowling was particularly notable for its variations in speed and clever use of the crease, which helped quieten SRH’s run rate during the middle overs. This ensured that Delhi Capitals avoided further embarrassment from potential batting records stacked against them.
Shahbaz’s Explosive Batting and Natarajan’s Brilliance Propel SRH to Victory Over DC
The match between SRH and DC was a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, with several key players leaving their mark on the game. In the initial overs, the scoring was explosive, with 103 runs amassed in the first five overs. However, the momentum slowed down considerably in the following 11 overs, adding just 107 runs to the total.
Despite the dip, SRH found stability with Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed forming a crucial partnership, adding 67 runs before Kuldeep Yadav broke the alliance with his fourth wicket. Shahbaz’s aggressive play, including two sixes off Khaleel Ahmed in the 19th over, and another six from Abdul Samad, propelled SRH to a formidable total of 250. Shahbaz sealed his maiden IPL half-century with a flurry of boundaries off Mukesh, finishing unbeaten on 59 off 29 balls, helping SRH secure the fourth-highest score in IPL history.
In response, DC’s Jake Fraser-McGurk showcased his talent with a blistering 15-ball half-century, the fastest of the season. His fearless approach and adept strokeplay, particularly against Washington Sundar, rattled the opposition. However, his innings was cut short by Mayank Markande after a quickfire 65 off 18 balls, featuring seven sixes.
Despite Natarajan’s brilliant bowling, restricting DC to just seven runs in the PowerPlay and ending with figures of 4 for 19, DC’s chase faltered as Rishabh Pant struggled to find his timing. Pant’s innings of 44 off 35 balls wasn’t enough to salvage the game for DC, as they fell short of the massive target set by SRH.
Brief scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 266/7 in 20 overs (Travis Head 89, Shahbaz Ahmed 59*, Abhishek Sharma 46; Kuldeep Yadav 4-55) beat Delhi Capitals 199 all out in 19.1 overs (Jake Fraser-McGurk 65, Rishabh Pant 44; T. Natarjan 4-19) by 67 runs.
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