Rajasthan Royals (RR) produced a dominant all-round display to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 47 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator on Wednesday, booking their place in Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans (GT).
Royals Post Competitive Total
Opting to bat first after losing the toss, RR posted a challenging 188/6 in their 20 overs. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal anchored the innings with a brisk 56 off 33 balls, while captain Sanju Samson contributed a crucial 37 off 32. A late cameo from Shimron Hetmyer (27 off 10) and Dhruv Jurel (12 off 6) propelled the total past 180. For SRH, T. Natarajan was the pick of the bowlers with 2/34, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umran Malik took a wicket each.
SRH Chase Falls Apart
In response, SRH got off to a flying start with openers Abhishek Sharma (43 off 26) and Rahul Tripathi (47 off 29) adding 82 runs in just 8.4 overs. However, the introduction of spin turned the game. Left-arm spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (3/29) struck twice in an over, removing both openers, and the middle order collapsed. Heinrich Klaasen (24) and Glenn Phillips (24) offered some resistance, but the required rate kept climbing. Trent Boult (2/22) and Sandeep Sharma (1/29) also chipped in as SRH were restricted to 141/8 in their 20 overs.
Key Moments
- Jaiswal's Fifty: The young opener laid the foundation with a fluent half-century, hitting five fours and two sixes.
- Chahal's Double Strike: The leg-spinner removed the set openers in consecutive deliveries to derail SRH's chase.
- Boult's Early Wickets: The left-arm pacer provided early breakthroughs in the powerplay to keep SRH in check.
What's Next?
With this win, RR advance to Qualifier 2, where they will face Gujarat Titans on Friday. The winner of that match will meet Chennai Super Kings in the final on Sunday. SRH, meanwhile, bow out of the tournament after a spirited campaign.
