Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) rotten luck in the IPL 2024 continued as they lost a run-fest against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 15. RCB captain Faf du Plessis had won the toss and chosen to chase.
However, SRH batters just pummeled the RCB bowlers into submission on the batting beauty of a wicket. Abhishek Sharma (34) and Travis Head scored 108 runs for the first wicket in 8.1 overs. After Sharma exited, Head went into high gear. Head hit his first IPL century, scoring 102 in 41 balls with 8 sixes and 9 fours with a strike rate of 248.78.
Heinrich Klaasen continued his rampage, scoring 67 in 31 balls with seven sixes and two fours. Aiden Markram (32* in 17) and Abdul Samad (37* in 10) helped SRH reach 287/3 in 20 overs.
SRH’s 287 is now the highest team total in IPL history, as they bettered their own 277, which was scored against MI a few days ago. Four RCB bowlers scored fifty runs or more in their four overs, with Reece Topley yielding 68 and Vijaykumar Vyshak leaking 64.
RCB began their chase with equal disdain, with Virat Kohli (42 in 20) and Faf du Plessis adding 80 runs in just 6.2 overs. Du Plessis resumed his assault, scoring 62 runs in 28 balls, including seven fours and four sixes.
However, SRH responded with quick wickets in the middle overs, leaving SRH at 122/5 in 10 overs. But then Dinesh Karthik took over and tried his best to keep RCB in the hunt. He scored a breathtaking 83 in 35 balls with 7 sixes and 5 fours.
Karthik added 50-plus runs with Mahipal Lomror (19) and Anuj Rawat (25*) with him being the main scorer.
For SRH, Pat Cummins (3/43) and Mayank Markande with two wickets were the standout bowlers. Travis Head was named the Player of the Match for his brilliant century for SRH.
The cricket fraternity was left in shock at the way Dinesh Karthik counter-attacked and reduced the margin of defeat for RCB. Karthik was lauded by the members of the cricket fraternity on social media.
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