In the 30th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 25 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Faf Du Plessis won the toss and elected to field first. Opting for a change in strategy, Bengaluru rested key players Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj.
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, often referred to as a batsman’s paradise, lived up to its billing. The visitors shattered their own record, set just a couple of weeks ago against Mumbai Indians (MI), by posting the highest score in franchise history – a mammoth 287/3 in their allotted 20 overs.
Travis Head spearheaded the onslaught, scoring the fourth-fastest IPL century and the fastest century for SRH, reaching the three-figure mark in a mere 39 balls. The Orange Army rained sixes, hitting a staggering 22 – the most ever in an IPL innings. Head, alongside Abhishek Sharma (34 off 22), Heinrich Klaasen (67 off 31), Aiden Markram (32* off 17) and Abdul Samad (37* off 10) provided the late flourish, leaving RCB bowlers reeling.
Chasing a daunting target, Virat Kohli and du Plessis started aggressively, putting up a 79-run partnership in the powerplay. However, Kohli’s dismissal for 42 (20) triggered a collapse. The home side lost five wickets in a quickfire four overs, including the crucial wicket of skipper du Plessis (62 off 28).
Veteran Dinesh Karthik (83 off 35) emerged as the lone warrior for RCB, keeping their chase alive with some powerful hitting. Arjun Rawat (25* off 14) offered some late support, but they ultimately fell short by 25 runs.
Travis Head, for his blistering knock of 100 off just 41 deliveries, was declared the Man of the Match.
This win propels SRH to the fourth spot on the points table with four wins and two losses. Meanwhile, RCB remains rooted at the bottom, having managed just one win in seven matches.
Scorecard:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 287/3, Overs 20, Travis Head 102, Lockie Ferguson 2/52
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 262/7, Overs 20, Dinesh Karthik 83, Pat Cummins 3/43