Travis Head‘s explosive knock, comprising 89 runs off just 32 deliveries, spearheaded Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a stunning victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) by 67 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Match 36 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
SRH’s rampant batting display: Travis Head and Abhishek Porel’s blitz
DC, led by Rishabh Pant, opted to bowl first after winning the toss, hoping to capitalize on the evening conditions. The decision to field first seemed astute initially, as SRH openers Head and Abhishek Sharma unleashed a relentless assault on the DC bowlers as they hammered 125 runs for the first wicket in just six overs. Head, in particular, displayed sheer dominance, smashing a scintillating 89 runs off a mere 32 deliveries. His innings was a spectacle of power hitting, featuring a staggering 11 fours and 6 towering sixes. Abhishek provided ample support, adding a quickfire 46 off just 12 balls, including 2 fours and 6 maximums.
DC’s bowling efforts: Kuldeep Yadav’s resilience amidst assault
Despite the onslaught from the SRH batters, DC managed to make some inroads with the ball. Kuldeep Yadav, in a valiant effort, picked up crucial wickets to stem the flow of runs. However, the SRH middle-order, bolstered by contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed, ensured that the scoreboard kept ticking. Reddy’s composed 37 off 27 deliveries and Khaleel’s blitzkrieg 59 off 29 further propelled SRH to a formidable score of 266/7 at the end of their allotted 20 overs. DC’s bowlers toiled hard, but they struggled to contain the relentless assault from the SRH batters, with Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar bearing the brunt of the onslaught.
Also READ: Top 5 highest powerplay scores in IPL history; SRH shatters KKR’s long standing record
Fight by Jake Fraser-McGurk
Chasing a daunting target of 267 runs for victory, DC’s innings got off to a shaky start as they lost key wickets early on. Prithvi Shaw‘s brief cameo and David Warner‘s early departure meant that the pressure was firmly on the DC batting lineup. Nevertheless, Jake Fraser-McGurk had other plans as he launched a stunning counterattack. McGurk’s breathtaking assault saw him plundering 65 runs off a mere 18 balls, including 5 fours and an astonishing 7 sixes. His whirlwind innings injected hope into the DC camp and momentarily swung the momentum in their favour.
T Natarajan’s bowling brilliance
Despite McGurk’s heroics, DC continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, denting their hopes of a successful run chase. Abhishek Porel‘s aggressive 42 off 22 deliveries provided some respite, but the SRH bowlers maintained a tight grip on the proceedings. T Natarajan emerged as the chief tormentor for SRH, wreaking havoc with his accurate bowling. His spell of 4 wickets for 19 runs proved to be decisive as DC crumbled under the mounting pressure. In the end, DC was bowled out for 199 runs in 19.1 overs, falling short of the target by a significant margin. Head was ultimately named as the Player of the Match for his blistering knock.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
I could make a joke and say I’m glad I’m retired and no longer bowling, but…
It’s always a good time to be a bowler, if you can make yourself the best, you’ll be a wanted god among mere mortals.
The slayer of rampaging runs!
Insensitive’s have never been higher. I’d wana be a…
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) April 20, 2024
It’s going to be very difficult to convince Travis Head to ever leave India at this rate. We might have lost him to these pitches for good, Adelaide #IPL2024 #DCvSRH
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) April 20, 2024
What happened there with @DelhiCapitals? Did they wave a white flag with 12 overs left? 🤔?
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 20, 2024
Only if this monster Jake Fraser-Mcgurk had stayed a little longer, it would have been fun. Hall of shame performance from Delhi Capitals batters after he got out. pic.twitter.com/VSlnK1Qb6A
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) April 20, 2024
Rishabh Pant Trial For T20 World Cup 2024, Costed Delhi Capitals This Game.
Rishabh Is A Match Winner When It Comes To Red Ball Cricket, Can’t Say Same About Shorter Version. pic.twitter.com/Q9Fm6giv9V
— Vaibhav Bhola 🇮🇳 (@VibhuBhola) April 20, 2024
Just watched #SRHvDC, and what a match it was!@SunRisers brought the 🔥, securing a massive score and winning! But, @DelhiCapitals‘s chase had me on the edge of my seat at least in the early stages.
Cricket fever is real – once you’re hooked, there’s no turning back!🏏🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/Mc21IvVMGr
— Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) April 20, 2024
PAT CUMMINS AND HIS ARMY DEFEATED DELHI CAPITALS BY 67 RUNS IN DELHI…!!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Y582Vt8imj
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 20, 2024
Time to pick ourselves up and make a comeback at Kotla on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/Z7I5Gqn96X
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 20, 2024
GAME. OVER. ♨️
What a show from the Risers! 🫡#PlayWithFire #DCvSRH
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 20, 2024
SRH moves to 2nd spot in the points table 🔥#DCvSRH #ipl2024
Scorecard: https://t.co/Gf0DV1KuXN #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/voUuLg8TSu
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) April 20, 2024
SRH in IPL 2023 – 4 wins from 14 games.
SRH in IPL 2024 – 5 wins from 7 games.
PAT CUMMINS CREATING LEGACY IN SRH. 💪 pic.twitter.com/svNz2WBLp4
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 20, 2024
Also READ: IPL 2024 – BCCI takes action against Mumbai Indians for giving DRS signals to Suryakumar Yadav from the dugout
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
