Sunrisers Hyderabad enters the final double-header of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with a clear goal: to secure a top-two finish in the tournament. A victory over Punjab Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday would be a major step towards achieving that objective.
The Orange Army has already secured a playoff berth thanks to their previous match against the Gujarat Titans being washed out, taking their points tally to 15. However, a win in their final group-stage match would propel them to 17 points, putting them in contention for a top-two finish, provided that the Rajasthan Royals lose their last match as well.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have no chance of advancing to the playoffs and will be aiming to end their season on a high note and perhaps improve their current eighth-place standing. Several English players, including Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, and skipper Sam Curran, have already departed the PBKS squad, creating opportunities for younger players like Shashank Singh or Rilee Rossouw to lead the team in their final match.
The head-to-head record between these two teams favors Hyderabad, with 15 wins in 22 encounters. The Orange Army also emerged victorious in their previous clash with PBKS earlier this season.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is renowned as a bowling-first venue, where teams often opt to restrict their opponents to a manageable total. However, the pitch also offers favorable conditions for batsmen, providing ample scoring opportunities. Out of the 77 matches played at this venue, 42 have been won by teams batting second.
Fantasy cricket enthusiasts may want to consider including players like Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Heinrich Klassen, Harshal Patel, Pat Cummins, Rahul Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Arshdeep Singh in their teams.
