Sunrisers Hyderabad secured their spot in the IPL final by defeating Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs on Friday, setting up a showdown against Kolkata Knight Riders. Spinner Shahbaz Ahmed was the star of the match, claiming three crucial wickets.
Heinrich Klaasen played a pivotal role with the bat, smashing 50 off 34 balls to help Sunrisers post a competitive total of 175-9. The Hyderabad bowlers then combined effectively to restrict Rajasthan to 139-7, ensuring their place in the final for the third time, which will be held in Chennai on Sunday.
Ahmed, who came in as an impact substitute during Hyderabad’s batting innings, contributed 18 runs. He later delivered a stellar performance with the ball, returning figures of 3-23 with his left-arm spin, which dismantled the opposition’s chase.
Kolkata Knight Riders, who had previously thrashed Hyderabad in the first play-off game to reach their fourth final, will meet Pat Cummins’ side again in the decisive match.
The 36,000-capacity M.A. Chidambaram Stadium took some time to fill up, with local fans feeling the absence of the home team, Chennai Super Kings. Chennai veteran M.S. Dhoni remains a beloved figure in the city, with many fans donning his number 7 jersey during the third play-off contest.
The IPL had been experiencing a heatwave in the last two play-off matches in Ahmedabad, where temperatures soared over 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit). However, Chennai remained much cooler at 32 degrees.
Rajasthan’s chase faltered despite Yashasvi Jaiswal’s quickfire 42 before he fell to Ahmed. Skipper Sanju Samson soon followed, departing for 10. Ahmed struck twice in one over, including the dismissal of the in-form Riyan Parag for six. Despite Dhruv Jurel’s late surge with an unbeaten 56, Rajasthan, the inaugural IPL champions, fell well short.
Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma scored 12 but also contributed with his part-time spin, taking two wickets, including that of the big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer, who was bowled for four.
Earlier in the match, Sunrisers, who had recorded IPL totals of 277 and 287 this season, struggled for momentum in their batting. Trent Boult of Rajasthan made early inroads, dismissing Abhishek in the first over and then striking twice in the fifth to send back Rahul Tripathi, for 37, and Aiden Markram, for one.
Fast bowler Avesh Khan also took two wickets in consecutive balls, prompting Hyderabad to bring in Ahmed. South Africa’s Klaasen remained resilient, reaching his fifty from 33 balls and forming a crucial partnership of 43 runs with Ahmed, which ultimately proved decisive.
