In a scintillating display of power hitting, Travis Head’s explosive century and Heinrich Klaasen’s half-century propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad or SRH to a monumental total of 287/3, marking the highest score in Indian Premier League-IPL history. The match, held in Bengaluru on Monday, saw SRH surpassing their own record of 277 runs set earlier in the tournament against Mumbai Indians.
Opting to bat first against Royal Challengers Bangalore or RCB, SRH’s opening duo, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, wasted no time in launching an assault on the RCB bowlers. Reece Topley bore the brunt of their aggression in the second over, conceding two sixes, a four, and a total of 20 runs to the rampaging pair.
Though the next two overs saw SRH being a bit subdued, Head smashed Lockie Ferguson for two sixes, a four in the fifth over. Fifty came up for SRH in 4.3 overs and 18 runs came off his over.
The final over of the powerplay saw Yash Dayal being smashed all over the park for 20 runs, including two sixes and a four by Head. SRH was 76/0 in six overs, with Head (52*) reaching his fifty in 20 balls, with three fours and five sixes. At the other end, Abhishek was unbeaten at 23*.
The carnage continued in the next over as Will Jacks’ spin became a victim of Head’s clean-hitting, including two sixes and a four. 21 runs came from the seventh over. With a huge six over Vijaykumar Vyshak’s head, SRH’s 100 runs came in 7.1 overs.
Topley finished the 108-run opening partnership, with Abhishek removed for 34 in 22 balls, with two fours and two sixes. Ferguson took the catch at deep backward square leg. SRH was 108/1 in 8.1 overs.
Halfway through the innings, SRH was 128/1 in 10 overs, with Head (86*) being joined by the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen at number three.
With two successive boundaries off Vyshak’s deliveries, one through the backward square leg, SRH reached the 150-run mark in 11.2 overs. Two balls later, Head smashed Vyshak for a four over long on to reach his maiden IPL ton in 39 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. Klaasen and Head made their 50-run partnership in 23 balls.
The 57-run partnership ended between the duo. Ferguson got his first wicket for RCB and skipper Faf Du Plessis took a catch at mid-on to remove Head for 102 in 41 balls, with nine fours and eight sixes. SRH is 165/2 in 12.3 overs.
RCB’s Mahipal Lomror faced the onslaught in the 14th over, conceding 18 runs, which included two sixes from Klaasen along with several wide deliveries. Klaasen continued his rampage in the following over, smashing Vyshak for two fours and a six, adding 16 runs and propelling SRH past the 200-run mark in just 15 overs.
Showing remarkable form, Klaasen notched his third fifty of IPL 2024 in a mere 23 balls, embellished with two fours and five sixes. However, his explosive innings came to an end as Ferguson concluded his spell with figures of 2/52, dismissing Klaasen for a blistering 66 off 31 balls, featuring two fours and seven sixes. Vyshak claimed the crucial catch to halt Klaasen’s onslaught, leaving SRH at 231/3 after 17 overs.
Abdul Samad stepped up next, making an immediate impact by thrashing Topley for three fours and two sixes in a single over, propelling SRH past the 250-run mark in just 18.3 overs. In the subsequent over, SRH equalled their highest IPL total of 277 runs. With Samad (37*) and Markram (32*) remaining unbeaten, SRH culminated their innings at a colossal 287/3.
Throughout the innings, RCB’s bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs. Ferguson emerged as the most successful bowler for RCB, finishing with figures of 2/52.
