By Abhishek Sharma needed an extra dose of good luck when he faced the first ball of the innings for only the third time this season. In a format dictated by the smallest margins, fortune often plays a crucial role in batting performances. The first risky shot can lead to a dismissal, and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s entire IPL 2024 campaign was built on not shying away from taking such risks, regardless of the outcomes.
However, leading up to the final, their resolve was tested like never before. Abhishek and Travis Head, their aggressive openers, hadn’t batted together beyond the first over in each of their last three matches. Once Pat Cummins decided his team would bat first in the final, he needed luck to carry those two left-handers safely through the first over. Unfortunately, Mitchell Starc was waiting to deny him that luxury.
Starc, in his 13-year career, has bowled numerous deliveries that can be described as nearly unplayable. One such delivery got the better of young Abhishek. The combination of pace, late swing, and seam left him in a compromised position, and the ball curled devilishly to hit the top of off-stump. This was a bad omen for SRH, and things only got worse from there.
In the next over, Head followed an outswinger from Vaibhav Arora and edged it to the keeper. At 6 for 2, Sunrisers were not only up against the conditions but also against an opponent operating at a consistently high tempo.
Sunrisers lost 2nd final
In the modern T20 game, there is no merit in switching to an attritional style. Sunrisers had committed to an attacking batting style, but on the big night, every attempt to attack seemed to backfire. Rahul Tripathi, trying to flick a ball towards a vacant square-leg, top-edged it to a fielder. The change bowlers, Harshit Rana and Andre Russell, added to SRH’s woes with their variations and cutters.
Ultimately, SRH could not keep up with KKR, who proved to be a far more balanced outfit. Cummins’ slog to long-on with an over and a half still left seemed like an act of a player-captain who had exhausted all the miracles from his tank after a season of breathtaking performances and inspirational leadership.
However, Cummins was able to put the loss in perspective. He praised the bravery and skill of his team in a high-pressure situation like the IPL. Despite the defeat, SRH had a great season, and their performance pushed the league forward.
When the dust settles, SRH will know how good they were this season. After struggling in previous seasons, they made a giant leap forward. Their batting was brilliant, their bowling slightly lesser, and their captain an excellent influence. Overall, it was a commendable season for SRH, even though they finished as runners-up.
