The fourth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season witnessed a disappointing performance from Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting unit. Chasing a daunting target of 204 runs set by Rajasthan Royals, the Sunrisers’ batsmen failed to rise to the occasion, succumbing to a crushing 72-run defeat.
The Sunrisers’ innings got off to a disastrous start, with Trent Boult dismissing both openers, Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi, in the very first over. Abhishek was clean bowled by a peach of a delivery, while Tripathi was caught brilliantly at slip by Jason Holder.
From there on, it was a downward spiral for the Sunrisers as their batsmen failed to build any significant partnerships. Mayank Agarwal, who scored 27 runs off 23 balls, tried to steady the ship but was ultimately caught by Jos Buttler off Yuzvendra Chahal’s bowling in the 11th over.
Harry Brook and Glenn Phillips also failed to make an impact, scoring 13 and 8 runs, respectively, before falling to Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin. With wickets tumbling at regular intervals, Sunrisers Hyderabad found themselves in deep trouble at 48/5 in 9.3 overs.
Abdul Samad showed some resistance with a gritty 32 off 32 balls, but it wasn’t enough to get his team anywhere close to the target. The Sunrisers’ innings eventually came to a close at 131/8 in their 20 overs, handing the Rajasthan Royals a comfortable victory.
The Sunrisers’ batting collapse can be attributed to a combination of poor shot selection and the relentless pressure exerted by the Royals’ bowlers. Chahal emerged as the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets and maintaining an impressive economy rate of 4.25.
As the IPL 2023 season unfolds, the Sunrisers Hyderabad will need to address their batting woes urgently. The team’s top order must step up and provide a strong foundation for the middle order to build upon. Failure to do so could see the Sunrisers struggling to make an impact in the tournament.