Sunrisers Hyderabad's Dramatic Comeback To Reach IPL 2024 Final

Chennai, May 24: Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins expressed satisfaction on Friday after leading his team to the IPL final, following a challenging 2023 season.

SRH had finished last in 2023, but Cummins, acquired for Rs 20.50 crore, orchestrated a remarkable turnaround. The team secured a spot in the final with a 36-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on Friday (May 24).

"The boys have been fantastic all season. There's a great vibe in the squad as you can see and the final was the goal at the start of the season and we made it," Cummins said at the post-match presentation.

"It is for the whole franchise, probably 60 or 70 of them who put their heart and soul into this. It is really gratifying and hopefully one more left."

Sent in to bat, SRH posted 175 for nine, with Heinrich Klaasen scoring a quick 50 off 34 balls. Travis Head (34) and Rahul Tripathi (37) also made significant contributions.

The spinners then took charge, with Shahbaz Ahmed (3/23) and Abhishek Sharma (2/24) sharing five wickets. RR managed only 139 for seven in their 20 overs. Cummins (1/30) and T Natarajan (1/13) also took one wicket each.

"We knew our strength was our batting and we wouldn't underestimate the experience we have in this squad," Cummins noted. "It's a dream having Bhuvi, Nattu and Unadkat; it makes my job easy."

On Abhishek's bowling, Cummins added: "That was a surprise. We tried to stick one out of him with a couple of right-handers and he bowled beautifully. Those two won it with their bowling in the middle overs."

Rajasthan Royals' Perspective

Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson acknowledged that his team struggled against SRH's spinners.

"It was a big game. I am really proud of the way we bowled in the first innings. We were found short of options in the middle overs against their spin; that's where we lost the game," he said.

"The wicket started behaving differently in the second innings; the ball started turning a bit, and they used that advantage really well."

Player Performances

Samson suggested that his batters could have tried different tactics against SRH's spinners. "Against their left-arm spin, when the ball was stopping, we could have tried a bit more reverse-sweep or maybe use of the crease a bit more," he said.

He also praised Sandeep Sharma for his performance on the slow track. "I am really happy for him. From not being picked in the auctions and coming back as a replacement, he has definitely delivered," Samson remarked.

Youth Talent

Samson highlighted the young talent within his team. "We have had some brilliant games not only this season but from the last three years," he said. "Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and others are looking really exciting not only for RR but definitely for the Indian cricket team."