Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) booked their place in the IPL 2024 final with a convincing 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a thrilling Qualifier 2. This win throws a surprising twist into the championship match, as none of the players from India’s main 15-member T20 World Cup squad will be competing in the final.
Young Rajasthan Royals falter on slow track
RR, despite having three T20 World Cup hopefuls in their ranks (Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Yuzvendra Chahal), were unable to overcome the challenges presented by the slow pitch in Chennai.
SRH’s unheralded spin duo, Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed, emerged as the heroes, bamboozling the RR batsmen with their combined figures of 5 for 47. This dominant spin bowling display restricted RR to a paltry 139 for 7, chasing a target of 176.
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Contrast in Spin Attacks
The contrasting performances of the two spin attacks were a key factor in the outcome. While Abhishek and Shahbaz stifled the RR batting, RR’s experienced spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, struggled for control, leaking a combined 77 runs without taking a wicket in their eight overs.
No place for Team India in IPL Final
Three members of India’s T20 World Cup squad – Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Yuzvendra Chahal – were all part of the Rajasthan Royals team. However, their presence wasn’t enough to propel them to the IPL final.
Earlier in the week, another T20 World Cup hopeful, Virat Kohli, along with teammate Mohammed Siraj, played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator match. While RR emerged victorious in that encounter, they ultimately fell short in Qualifier 2, missing out on a chance to compete for the IPL championship.
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Surprise Finalists: SRH Aim for 2nd Title
SRH’s victory marks their third IPL final appearance, following their previous outings in 2016 and 2018. They now face Kolkata Knight Riders in the championship match, with both teams aiming to lift the coveted trophy.
While KKR features Rinku Singh, a member of the T20 World Cup reserve squad, the final will be devoid of any players from India’s main 15-member team.
This unexpected development adds a new layer of intrigue to the IPL 2024 final. With several rising stars and established veterans set to take center stage, the clash between SRH and KKR promises to be an exciting spectacle.
India T20 World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.
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