SRH vs LSG, IPL 2024: Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma leave Lucknow Super Giants gobsmacked with 10-wicket win
There were no rains on the match-day. But, to the delight of the capacity crowd, it rained fours and sixes as the left-handed opening pair of Abhishek Sharma (75 n.o., 28b, 8×4, 6×6) and Travis Head (89 n.o., 30b, 8×4, 8×6) made a mockery of the victory target of 166 against Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL League match at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Wednesday.
Clearly, the Sunrisers’ focus was not just scripting a victory but with an eye on the Net Run Rate to steer clear of the jam in the points table and it did in style with a resounding 10-wicket win in just 9.4 overs thanks to some breathtaking stroke-play which left every bowler clueless.
As it happened: SRH beats LSG by 10 wickets as records fall in Hyderabad, highlights
It was arguably one of the most savage onslaughts by any opening pair at this venue as Abhishek (Impact Player replacing pacer T. Natarajan) and Head batted as if rehearsing strokes in the nets with the Sunrisers’ innings lasting just 47 minutes.
There was nothing to say about a single bowler on the LSG side, all hapless and mute spectators to a vintage batting display.
Earlier, Lucknow Super Giants’ big guns failed and it was left to a fighting 99-run unbroken partnership off 52 balls for the fifth wicket between the classy Nicholas Pooran and the 24-year-old Delhi batter Ayush Badoni. The stand helped the team post what looked a competitive score at the innings break.
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Pooran and Badoni displayed wonderful stroke selection under pressure, handling the bowlers, especially in the last five overs with ease – scoring 63 runs without losing a wicket.
For the home team, surprisingly, left-arm pacer and death overs specialists Pat Cummins and T. Natarajan were expensive. By all means, the seasoned Bhuvneshwar Kumar was easily the pick of the bowlers with a terrific performance, conceding just 12 runs from overs and taking two crucial wickets of Quinton de Kock (2) and Marcus Stoinis (3), thanks also to brilliant fielding efforts by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sanvir Singh respectively.
It was not the kind of power-play Lucknow would have hoped for after electing to bat – scoring just 27 for two in six overs.