Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) banked on Rashid Khan‘s brilliance with both bat and ball to beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the virtual semi-final clash by 13 runs at the Eden Gardens to book the second spot in the final.
However, things were different at the start of the game with Hyderabad coming back for four loss. Moreover, they made three changes to their playing XI going into this game, as Kolkata made only a solitary change.
Hyderabad got off to a plodding start with Shivam Mavi reaping early result from the wicket which was fast from the last night.
However, Hyderabad started finding gaps and looked to rotate the strike. Shikhar Dhawan and Wriddhiman Saha provided a decent start. Meanwhile, Khan hammered 34 off just ten balls including four sixes to give the bowlers something to bowl at.
In reply, Kolkata got off to a flier with their top-order coming good. However, some back to back wickets in the second half of the innings shifted the momentum of the game.
With 19 runs from last six balls, Carlos Brathwaite picked two wickets to defend the score, as Kolkata fell short of 13 runs. As a result, Hyderabad will face Chennai Super Kings on Sunday’s final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Here is the players rating of the Sunrisers:
Shikhar Dhawan: (7.5/10)
Shikhar Dhawan played a responsible inning at the start when the ball was moving a bit. The southpaw scored 34 runs from 24 balls, as it laid the platform for the batsmen to come.
Meanwhile, he will look to continue the momentum in the final game of the tournament.
Wriddhiman Saha (wk): (6/10)
Making a comeback after a few games, Wriddhiman Saha struggled to get going initially. However, he managed to rotate the strike and provide Hyderabad with a good start.
His 35 runs at the start will give him the much-needed boost ahead of the final.
Kane Williamson (c): (2/10)
Kane Williamson had a rare off game with the bat after scoring heavily in almost all the games. The Kiwi batsman departed scoring only three runs.
However, he was spot on with his bowling changes and field placing and will be keen to continue the winning momentum.
Shakib Al Hasan: (8/10)
Shakib Al Hasan‘s all-round performance guided Hyderabad to end their losing run.
He scored important 28 runs after SRH lost two wickets in one over and then backed it up with three economical overs to defend the target. Shakib’s form will be crucial for the Williamson-led team in the finale match.
Yusuf Pathan: (3/10)
Yusuf Pathan had a topsy-turvy season, however, couldn’t get going when his team needed the most. The swashbuckling hitter managed to score only three runs from seven balls.
Deepak Hooda: (5.5/10)
Deepak Hooda justified his selection with a well made 19 runs. However, he failed to capitalise on the start. He scored 19 runs from 19 balls with the help of one six.
He needs to score quick runs in the middle-over in the grand finale if Hyderabad have to post a good target on the board.
Carlos Brathwaite: (5/10)
Carlos Brathwaite failed to continue the run-scoring spree against Kolkata. He had the perfect platform to unleash his wrath but struggled to get going.
Meanwhile, he amended with a brilliant last over with two crucial wickets in the final over to defend the target.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: (5/10)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar had a rare off day, as he went for plenty of runs. He looked completely out of socks, as he gave away 38 runs in his four overs.
However, he bowled a brilliant 18th over to concede only nine runs and make things tough for the hosts.
Rashid Khan: (10/10)
Rashid Khan single-handedly won the game for Hyderabad against the Knight Riders. He smashed 34 runs to post a challenging before claiming three crucial wickets in the middle-overs to shift the momentum.
The leg-spinner will be pivotal against the inform Super Kings on Sunday.
Siddarth Kaul: (6.5/10)
Kaul continued his good run in this years IPL, as he justified his national team’s selection. Kaul returned with two for 32 in his four overs and was crucial in the death overs. He will have to play a superlative role in the mega final against the CSK.
K Khaleel Ahmed: (3.5/10)
The young seamer failed to cope up with the high pressure associated with this high voltage games. Khaleel Ahmed gave away 38 runs from his three overs which were the only weak link in Hyderabad unit.
However, this is a learning curve for him and will grow in confidence from here.
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