Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, May 24. SRH come to Chennai after a defeat in Qualifier 1, while RR are upbeat after ending their five-game winless streak in the Eliminator.
A four-game rut was wiped out in one evening against RCB, hurling them in the path of the tournament’s pace-setters. Cummins was quick to shrug off the defeat to KKR in Q1, but it showed SRH were equally capable of being humbled as they were of inflicting that feeling on the opposition. RR, with their recent clinically, will hope to tap into that.
SRH vs RR Previous performances
Sunrisers squandered their first opportunity to reach the finals as they comprehensively lost to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Qualifier 1. The former two-time champions chased down a 160-run target with eight wickets and 38 balls to spare. Pat Cummins and Co. will get a second bite at the cherry on Friday and would want to make it count.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals finally won their first match this month, as they defeated an in-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru side in the Eliminator. Sanju Samson’s men chased down a 173-run target with four wickets and an over to spare
SRH vs RR Head to Head
These two sides met each other on one occasion during the league stage. The Sunrisers pulled off a thrilling one-run win at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, defending a target of 202. Rajasthan would love to exact revenge at this all-important juncture of the league. It was a last-ball thriller when they met earlier this month.
Chasing 202, RR needed two from one ball but Rovman Powell failed to put away a full toss from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and was lbw. Before that, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s unbeaten 76 off 42, backed by Head’s fifty and Klassen’s 42 not out, gave SRH a competitive total. In response, Yashaswi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag scored half-centuries but RR fell just short. SRH 10 – 9 RR. The one game between these two sides this season ended in a final-ball thriller in favour of SRH.
| Matches Played | 19 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad won | 10 |
| Rajasthan Royals Won | 09 |
| No Result | 00 |
SRH vs RR Pitch Conditions
The surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai has produced contrasting pitches this season. In some games, teams have been greeted with the traditionally slow and low Chepauk surfaces. However, there have also been some high-scoring encounters. One match that stands out is the one between Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants on April 23.
The hosts scored 210/4 in their 20 overs before Lucknow bettered it with six wickets and three balls to spare. Sunrisers will be the happier team if the pitch turns out to be the flatter side on Friday. It’s going to be hot and humid. And with dew expected in the second innings, the teams may prefer bowling first on winning the toss. The recent history also backs that: chasing teams have won five of the seven games played here this season.
It’s a question even CSK have grappled with as conditions have trumped them too in home games. Friday’s fixture will be played on pitch #7 – a fresh wicket. It brings with it unfamiliarity and an extremely short square boundary on one side.
SRH vs RR Big Picture SRH’s batters vs RR’s bowlers
The SRH batters have written and rewritten the record books in IPL 2024. Before this season, the highest team total in the IPL was 263 for 5, by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2013. SRH have breached that mark three times this season.
Those gargantuan totals were set up by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, the most destructive pair in the IPL history with a partnership run rate of 13.65 (min. 10 stands). Their aggressive approach also meant that SRH are the only team to score 100 or more in the powerplay this season, a feat they have achieved twice. This is even before we come to Heinrich Klaasen, arguably the best T20 batter in the past 12 months.
RR’s batting line-up may not be as destructive but they have one of the best bowling units: a left-arm swinger at the top, two world-class spinners in the middle and two wily seamers at the death. The battle between their bowlers and SRH’s batters could decide who moves to the final.
SRH, who had finished second in the league stage, are coming from a loss against Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 1, while RR will be buoyed by their win against RCB in the Eliminator. However, neither team had a good time when they last played in Chennai. Chasing 213 against Chennai Super Kings, SRH folded for a mere 134. When RR came here two weeks ago, they could manage only 141 for 5 batting first and went on to lose by five wickets.
SRH vs RR Team news and Impact Player strategy
If SRH want to strengthen their batting, they can bring in either Aiden Markram or Glenn Phillips for VijayKanth Viyaskanth. Both Markram and Phillips can chip in with their offspin. Mayank Markande could be their leg spinner in that case, replacing Sanvir Singh. If they are batting first, they too can start with only three overseas players: Head, Klaasen and the captain Pat Cummins. Depending on how it goes, they can either bring in Phillips or Viyaskanth.
SRH vs RR In the spotlight – R Ashwin and Travis Head
R Ashwin did not have a great start to IPL 2024. In the first nine games, he picked up just two wickets at an economy of 9.00. During this time, he was also struggling with an abdomen tear, which did not allow him to complete his action. But of late, he appears to have found his rhythm. In the last four games, he has picked up seven wickets at an economy of 6.81. Playing at his home ground, with the pitch likely to aid spinners, he will be keen to continue that form which earned him the Player-of-the-Match award in the eliminator.
Travis Head has been the MVP for SRH, often killing the game in the powerplay itself. But in the last two games, he has fetched two ducks – on both occasions bowled by a left-arm seamer. RR, too, have a left-arm seamer in Trent Boult but Boult has never dismissed Head in T20 cricket. Moreover, Head has taken him for 52 runs in 30 balls. His recent dismissals notwithstanding, it’s unlikely Head will bide his time against Boult.
SRH vs RR Vital Stats that matters
- In IPL 2024, SRH are the fastest-scoring side in the powerplay (run rate 11.48), and RR the most frugal bowling side (economy 8.03).
- Ashwin has never dismissed Head but has managed to keep him quiet, conceding only ten runs in 17 balls. On the other hand, Abhishek has taken him on: 28 runs in 18 balls for one dismissal.
- Klaasen has dominated his match-up against Yuzvendra Chahal: 108 runs off 46 balls, three dismissals.
- Jaiswal has hit Bhuvneshwar for 54 runs in 33 balls without ever being dismissed. He has an equally impressive record against Cummins: 25 runs in 12 balls, no dismissal.
- Shimron Hetmyer has scored only eight runs in 16 balls off Bhuvneshwar, though the seamer has never dismissed him.
SRH vs RR Probable Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, VijayKanth Viyaskanth, T Natarajan
Impact Player: Aiden Markram
Rajasthan Royals:
Yashaswi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson (C & WK), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player: Sandeep Sharma
SRH vs RR Fantasy XI : Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Yashaswi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (C & WK), Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal
SRH vs RR Probable Best Players of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Travis Head
The star Australian batter has failed to open his account in the last two games. However, that would not worry him too much, as he has been in splendid form during the season. In 13 matches, he has amassed 533 runs at an average of 44.42 and a strike rate of 199.63. If Head fires at the top alongside the dangerous Abhishek Sharma, Rajasthan bowlers will be in for a tough time.
Probable Best Bowler: T Natarajan
The left-arm seamer has been bowling with supreme confidence this season. He has picked up 18 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 23.50 and a strike rate of 15.44. Natarajan has bagged wickets inside the powerplay as well as in the death overs. His spell will be very crucial for Sunrisers in the knockout fixture.
SRH vs RR Match Prediction
Scenario 1
Sunrisers Hyderabad win the toss and bowl
Power Play score – 50-60
First Innings Score – 170-180
Sunrisers Hyderabad win the match
Scenario 2
Rajasthan Royals win the toss and bowl
Power Play score – 60-70
First Innings Score – 190-200
Sunrisers Hyderabad win the match