'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Rajasthan Royals (RR) pacer Sandeep Sharma bowled a tidy spell in the team's IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on Friday, May 24. He picked up the important wickets of Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen.
Head was Sandeep's first victim in the knockout fixture. The SRH batter was scored 34 runs before being dismissed in the 10th over. The southpaw was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at short third man off a slower delivery.
Klaasen notched up a fine half-century, contributing 50 runs in 34 balls. His presence in the final two overs was crucial for Hyderabad. However, Sandeep spoiled the party by getting the well-set batter out bowled with a spectacular yorker in the 19th over.
Sandeep finished with impressive figures of 4-0-25-2 and bagged widespread praise on social media for his performance. Here are some of the top reactions:
Certain fans suggested that Sandeep deserved to be a part of Team India's squad for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
"Team India has gone with 4 spinners thinking pitches will spin friendly if it doesn't, does we have the backup plan? Maybe not We will be toothless If it doesn't spin.Sandeep Sharma needs to be there in the T20 World Cup Squad.I hope we don't regret it." wrote a fan
"Why on earth doesn't Sandeep Sharma get a chance to play in the T20I World Cup? He's brilliant and can stop runs and take wickets. He broke SRH's neck in a crucial game against a dangerous batting lineup. He's way better than Siraj in T20Is!" commented another
"If Sandeep Sharma had a funkier hairstyle and a better PR team, he would've, deservedly, been in our T20 World Cup squad, at least in the reserves. Except Jasprit Bumrah, there isn't a single fast bowler who has performed as consistently as he has in the T20 format in the IPL." chimed in yet another
Sandeep Sharma has been one of RR's top performers with the ball this season. He has claimed 13 wickets from 10 innings at an economy rate of 8.18.
"Those guys have been doing an amazing job" - Trent Boult on Avesh Khan and Sandeep Sharma
Trent Boult shone with the ball for Rajasthan in the Qualifier 2, bagging three wickets. Avesh Khan also finished with a three-wicket and did a fine job for his team.
Speaking in a mid-inning interview, Boult lauded Avesh and Sandeep for their performances in the contest. The Kiwi fast bowler said:
"We hung in there nicely as a group and the way we finished at the death along with the spinners in the middle, we have restricted them to a nice total. Those guys (Avesh Khan and Sandeep Sharma) have been doing an amazing job, adapting to whatever surface we have come up against. Avesh has been bowling beautifully for us the whole tournament. Sandy (Sandeep) is a very experienced bowler and he showed his skill tonight. Only half the job done, we are looking forward to the chase."
SRH registered 175/9 in 20 overs. RR need to chase down 176 to join Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2024 final.
