SRH Batting Stumbles After Strong Start
First, SRH openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma exploded with a record 13.5 run rate. Additionally, Head smashed 47 off 28 balls before debutant Prince Yadav bowled him for his maiden IPL wicket. Next, Shardul Thakur wrecked SRH’s middle order by taking 4 wickets, including golden duck Ishan Kishan. Moreover, Nitish Reddy (32) and Aniket Verma (36 off 13) tried reviving the innings with late cameos. Furthermore, Pat Cummins briefly entertained with 3 straight sixes before getting out. Finally, SRH fell short at 190/9 after managing just 10 runs in last 2 overs.
Another concern was the pitch difference. To explain, Cummins noted this surface wasn’t as batting-friendly as their record 286-wicket. Similarly, SRH missed having one batter anchor the innings like Kishan’s previous century. Moreover, their deep batting lineup failed to deliver impactful finishes this time. Additionally, Cummins backed his batters’ aggressive approach despite the collapse. Lastly, he admitted 190 proved inadequate on this Hyderabad track.
LSG’s Chase Masterclass
To start, Nicholas Pooran demolished SRH’s bowling with a 18-ball fifty – season’s fastest. Furthermore, his 70 off 26 balls included brutal hitting against left-arm spinner Abhishek. Similarly, Mitchell Marsh supported brilliantly with 50 off 29 in their 116-run partnership. Moreover, Cummins briefly revived hopes by dismissing both set batters. Another key moment came when Harshal Patel took a stunning diving catch to remove Badoni. Additionally, David Miller and Abdul Samad (22* off 8) calmly finished the chase in 16.3 overs.
Moreover, this win marked LSG’s first points of IPL 2025. To explain, their bowlers set it up by restricting SRH after the powerplay. Next, their batters showed maturity in chasing without panic after early wicket. Furthermore, Pooran’s explosive knock ensured required rate never became an issue. Additionally, Samad’s fiery finish against his former team added salt to SRH’s wounds. Finally, LSG proved more clinical in seizing key moments.
What This Means Going Forward For SRH
SRH must address middle-order consistency after this reality check. First, their over-reliance on top order got exposed. Additionally, bowling lacked penetration against Pooran’s assault. Moreover, Cummins remains optimistic about bouncing back. Finally, LSG gain momentum while SRH regroup after tasting both extremes – record win and defeat – within a week.
Key Takeaways:
Pooran (70 off 26) outshone Head’s 47
Thakur’s 4/34 broke SRH’s backbone
LSG won with 21 balls remaining
SRH’s 190 proved 20-30 runs short