IPL 2024: Key points, Match 69, SRH vs PBKS

Sunrisers Hyderabad ended the league phase of the Indian Premier League with a thrilling four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings, finishing with 17 points. Chasing a formidable target of 215, SRH reached the goal with five balls to spare, thanks to a blistering 28-ball 66 from opener Abhishek Sharma, who struck six sixes and five fours. Significant contributions also came from Rahul Tripathi (33), Nitish Reddy (37), and Heinrich Klaasen (42).

Punjab Kings’ strong batting display falls short against SRH

Earlier, Punjab Kings set a challenging total of 214/5, driven by Prabhsimran Singh’s quick-fire 71 and solid performances from opener Atharva Taide (46) and Rilee Rossouw (49). Prabhsimran and Taide’s 97-run partnership off 55 balls laid a strong foundation, with Taide scoring 46 from 27 balls, including five fours and two sixes. Prabhsimran hammered seven sixes and four fours in his 45-ball innings. Rossouw contributed a rapid 24-ball 49, featuring four sixes and three fours, while stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma added late fireworks with an unbeaten 32.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Punjab Kings started strong, reaching 61/0 after the powerplay. Taide was dismissed for 46 by Natarajan, followed by Prabhsimran’s departure at 71, caught by Klaasen. Despite losing wickets in the later stages, Punjab posted a formidable total.

Sunrisers Hyderabad secure second spot with thrilling 4 wicket win

In response, SRH had a rocky start with Travis Head falling for a duck to Arshdeep Singh. However, a swift 50-run partnership in four overs between Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi steadied the innings. Tripathi was dismissed for 33 by Harshal Patel, but Sharma’s aggressive batting brought up his fifty in just 21 balls before he was taken out for 66 by Shashank Singh. Nitish Reddy’s 37 and Klaasen’s 42 kept SRH in the hunt, despite losing wickets.

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Needing 26 off the last 24 balls, SRH held their nerve to chase down the target, with Klaasen falling for 42 but ensuring victory was within reach. The win by four wickets propelled SRH to second spot in the points table, concluding their league campaign on a high note.