3 things SRH need to do right to beat RR in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2024

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a potentially high-voltage Qualifier 2 of IPL 2024 in Chennai on May 24. The winner will earn the right to face off against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the grand finale on May 26.

While SRH and RR entered the playoffs at the opposite end of the spectrum form-wise, the script flipped in their respective playoff outings. SRH suffered a hammering at the hands of KKR by 8 wickets in Qualifier 1.

However, RR ended their 4-game losing streak with a thrilling four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Eliminator.

Historically, there is very little to choose between SRH and RR, with the former holding a slender 10-9 edge in their head-to-head meetings. Even in their lone clash this season, SRH pulled off a nail-biting final-ball win by 1 run at home.

Finishing 2nd on the points table over RR on the final day of the league stage means SRH have another opportunity to put things in order and advance to the final.

However, with the virtual semi-final promising another humdinger, here are three things SRH must do to upstage RR in the IPL 2024 Qualifier 2.

# 1 Travis Head must vault past the Trent Boult challenge

No one has influenced wins and losses in IPL 2024 like swashbuckling opener Travis Head. The 30-year-old has created fear in the opposition ranks throughout the season, evidenced by his overall numbers with 533 runs at an average of 44.41 and a strike rate of almost 200.

However, Head's numbers in SRH wins and defeats make for staggering reading, resulting in his being the No.1 defining factor for the Qualifier 2 outcome. The southpaw averages a stellar 64.20 at a strike rate of 214.20 in 8 SRH wins.

Yet, the numbers dropped drastically to an average of 16.20 and a strike rate of under 145 in the 5 losses. In his last two innings, Head has also displayed vulnerability to left-arm pacers, having been dismissed for 0 by Arshdeep Singh and Mitchell Starc.

The Aussie will now have to contend with Kiwi left-arm pacer Trent Boult in the RR clash and winning that battle will catapult SRH's chances. Boult's powerplay display was a key reason in RR defeating RCB in the Eliminator, with the veteran producing figures of 1/6 in 3 overs.

In the league-stage meeting between the sides, Head played it smart by weathering the new-ball storm of Boult and company to finish with a 44-ball 58. It was pivotal to SRH posting a massive total of 201/3 in 20 overs and winning by a run.

Boult has never dismissed Head in the shortest format but has got the better of him 3 times in 45 deliveries in ODIs.

Head setting off and scoring big has also had an incredible ripple effect on the rest of the SRH batters, with his opening partner Abhishek Sharma and middle-order basher Heinrich Klaasen usually following suit.

# 2 Negating the Ashwin threat in Chennai

Ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has always delivered masterful performances in his hometown Chennai across formats.

Coming off his Player of the Match performance against RCB in the Eliminator with figures of 2/19 in 4 overs, the champion off-spinner will be chomping at the bit to weave magic at his beloved Chepauk Stadium.

In his IPL career, Ashwin boasts incredible numbers with 50 wickets at an average of under 20 and an economy of 6.15 in 41 outings at the venue. Given SRH opening the batting with two left-handers in Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, it wouldn't be a surprise if RR opened the bowling with Ashwin.

The opening duo must ensure the wily spinner is negated with the utmost diligence to march ahead in the contest. To their credit, SRH milked Ashwin for 0/36 in 4 overs in their league-stage meeting to preserve wickets for taking on the other bowlers in their final score of over 200.

In his last two matches at Chepauk for RR, Ashwin has picked up 2 wickets each, something SRH can ill-afford to concede to the champion spinner.

# 3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar must strike in the powerplay

In a format where the pacers stack wickets in the death overs, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been an enigma, with most of his scalps coming during the powerplay. The 34-year-old has picked up 10 of his 11 wickets in the first 6 overs this season.

SRH have consistently won the games in which Bhuvneshwar has struck early and struggled to rotate their bowlers minus a potent spin attack when the ace pacer has lacked penetration.

In SRH's eight wins, Bhuvneshwar has bagged 8 wickets at an average of 20.10 in the powerplay. Yet, in the six losses, he has grabbed only 2 wickets at an average of 54.

The veteran pacer was the Player of the Match in the league-stage meeting between the sides, with figures of 3/41 in 4 overs. While most tend to remember his final-ball dismissal of Rovman Powell with 2 needed, the damage upfront played a bigger role in SRH's victory.

Bhuvneshwar sent Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson packing in the first over of RR's run-chase to set the ball rolling. How SRH would hope for a repeat of the same from the new-ball specialist as they look to book their place in the summit clash against KKR.