IPL 2024: SRH’s Head-Abhishek deliver fireworks, chase down 166 in just 9.4 overs against LSG

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 8 (ANI): 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.
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.
In the run-chase of 166 runs, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) did not waste any time as openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma attacked right from the start. In just the second over, Abhishek smashed Yash Thakur for four successive boundaries, looting 17 runs from the over.
The next over was Head's turn to swing his bat, launching Krishnappa Gowtham for three sixes and a four, getting 22 runs from the over.
A massive six over long-on on a Ravi Bishnoi delivery took SRH to the 50-run mark in just 3.1 overs. Head smashed him for a four and then a six over long-off to concluded the fourth over on a high, getting 17 more runs.
The next over saw Abhishek giving the strike to Head and then the Australian proceeding to tear into Naveen-ul-Haq with 4,4,6,4 and 4. Head reached his half-century, his fourth in the tournament, in 16 balls with five fours and five sixes.
Abhishek ended the powerplay on high, once again targeting Yash with two fours and two sixes and taking SRH to 107/0 at the end of six overs, with Head (58*) and Abhishek (46*) unbeaten. SRH reached the 100-run mark in just 5.4 overs.
Abhishek reached his second fifty in the tournament in 19 balls, with six fours and four sixes. Ayush Badoni's first over did turn out to be good, as he gave away 19 runs, including two sixes and a four, all by Abhishek.
SRH brought up their 150-run in 8.2 overs, with Head (85* in 27 balls) and Abhishek 63* in 23 balls) unbeaten.
SRH ended their run-chase in less than 10 overs, finishing at 167/0 in 9.4 overs, with Head (89* in 30 balls, with eight fours and eight sixes) and Abhishek (75* in 28 balls, with eight fours and six sixes).
Earlier, a fine half-century from Ayush Badoni and his partnership with Nicholas Pooran helped Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) reach a modest total of 165/4 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Wednesday.
LSG needs to defend 166 runs to get their seventh win of the tournament.
After winning the toss, LSG opted to bat first. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar made them regret this decision by striking twice in the powerplay. First, in the third over, he removed an out-of-form Quinton de Kock for just two runs in five balls with Nitish Kumar Reddy taking a catch at deep backward square leg.
In the fifth over, Sanvir took a fine diving catch near mid-on, removing the in-form Marcus Stoinis for just three and giving Bhuvneshwar his second wicket. LSG was 21/2 in 4.2 overs.
Skipper KL Rahul and Krunal Pandya joined forces, getting their team through the remainder of the powerplay. At the end of six overs, LSG was 27/2, with KL (19*) and Krunal (2*) unbeaten.
In the seventh over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat, Krunal relieved some pressure by smashing him for two sixes and getting his team a total of 15 runs out of it.
By drilling Cummins for a four towards mid-off, KL brought LSG to the 50-run mark in 9.1 overs. However, at the end of the over, he was dismissed by the SRH captain for a sluggish 29 in 33 balls, with a four and a six. T Natrajan took the catch. LSG was 57/3 in 10 overs.
LSG's situation became worse, with Cummins running out Krunal for 24 in 21 balls, with two sixes. LSG was 66/4 in 11.2 overs.
The 14th over bowled by Natrajan proved to be an expensive over for SRH, with Ayush Badoni hitting him for four boundaries and taking a total of 17 runs from the over.
A boundary from Badoni helped Lucknow reach the 100-run mark in 15 overs. At that point, LSG was 102/4, with Badoni (23*) and Nicholas Pooran (18*) unbeaten.
Badoni continued to pierce through the gaps, mainly targeting Natrajan. He brought up his fourth IPL fifty in 28 balls, with eight fours. At the end of 19 overs, LSG was 146/4, with Badoni (50*) and Pooran (34*) unbeaten.
LSG ended their innings at 165/4 in their 20 overs, with Pooran-Badoni getting 19 runs in the final over. Badoni was unbeaten at 55 in 30 balls, with nine fours while Pooran scored 48* in 26 balls, with six fours and a six. Both had a 99-run partnership.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/12) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH. Cummins (1/47) also got a wicket.
Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants: 165/4 (Ayush Badoni 55*, Nicholas Pooran 48, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/12) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad: 167/0 in 9.4 overs (Travis Head 89*, Abhishek Sharma 75*). (ANI)