Had these boys batted first..: Sachin hails SRH’s opening pair of Head-Abhishek following win over LSG

MUMBAI : Following Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) ten-wicket win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar hailed its explosive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, saying that they would have scored 300 runs for their side had they batted first.

Sunrisers Hyderabad openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma smashed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowlers to the pulp, registering a ten-wicket victory and chasing down the target of 166 runs in just 9.4 overs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) game at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Taking to the X (formerly Twitter) after the game, Sachin wrote, “A destructive opening partnership would be an understatement tonight. Had these boys batted first, they would’ve scored 300! #SRHvLSG #IPL2024.”

A destructive opening partnership would be an understatement tonight. Had these boys batted first, they would’ve scored 300! #SRHvLSG #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/b1Q4gwmHO2

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 8, 2024

Head is the third-highest run-getter this season with 533 runs in 11 matches at an average of 53.30 and a strike rate of 201.89, with a century and four fifties. His best score is 102.

Abhishek is the 11th-highest run-getter with 401 runs in 12 matches at an average of 36.45 and a strike rate of 205.64, with two fifties. His best score is 75*.

Coming to the match, LSG elected to bat first after winning the toss. The visitors got to a slow start, getting just 57 runs in first 10 overs and losing three wickets. Skipper KL Rahul played a sluggish knock of 29 in 33 balls, with a four and a six.

In the second half of the innings, Ayush Badoni (55* in 30 balls, with nine fours) and Nicholas Pooran (48* in 26 balls, with six fours and a six) turned things around with a 99-run stand, putting a score of 165/4 in 20 overs for LSG.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/12) was the top bowler for LSG. Pat Cummins also got a wicket.

In the run-chase of 166 runs, openers Travis Head (89* in 30 balls, with eight fours and eight sixes) and Abhishek Sharma (75* in 28 balls, with eight fours and six sixes) launched what seemed like a never-ending assault on LSG batters, helping SRH chase down the total in just 9.4 overs without losing a wicket.

SRH is at number three in the table with seven wins, five losses and 14 points. LSG is at the sixth spot with six wins, six losses and 12 points.
Head took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award. (ANI)