‘Expect high-scoring game’

SRH’s Travis Head en route his 89 v DC in New Delhi recently. Pic/AFP

This year's IPL is past the half-way mark and what has caught everyone's imagination is the power and six-hitting ability of the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters, particularly the trio of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen. They are brutal. SRH have hit 99 sixes from seven matches and thrice the Pat Cummins-led team have posted 250-plus totals, twice going past the tournament's highest totals - scoring 277-3 against Mumbai Indians and 287-3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

All eyes will be on the marauding SRH batters when they face bottom-placed RCB at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.

With five wins in seven matches, the home team have soared to the third spot. A proud Cummins has said the other franchises are scared of their batting prowess. Playing here after a gap of 20 days, SRH will look for their third successive win at home.

Head, Abhishek key for SRH

Head and Abhishek have been the key to SRH's explosive starts as by the end of the Powerplay, they have been registering a lightning strike rate. For instance, in their last match against Delhi Capitals, the Aussie-Indian left-handed pair raised 50 in 2.4 overs and 125 in six overs in their total of 266-7. SRH coach Daniel Vettori praised the openers. "It is a bit contagious. The two have been fantastic. they complement each other," he said.

Daniel Vettori

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For RCB captain Faf du Plessis, it could be another big headache to shackle the rampaging SRH batters. He has already got a taste of that in Bangalore. They come, dismantle the attack and demolish their morale before setting up a huge target. Therefore, the RCB captain will think twice before inviting the hosts to bat first.

SRH bowlers on song

Vettori said his bowlers have done an exceptional job. They have held their nerves, especially when the teams have come hard on them in the frenetic run-chases. Cummins and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the experienced duo, have been magnificent with their canny bowling. As Bhuvi mentioned, left-arm seamer T Natarajan has gone unnoticed with his deadly yorkers. He took four wickets against DC.

Although the SRH batters have held the centrestage, it will be the turn of Virat Kohli fans, who will come in massive numbers, to flaunt the popular No. 18 jersey.
The Kohli factor has resulted in a huge demand for tickets. The Orange Cap-holder has been the one-man army for RCB, but other batters have put up a poor show barring the 37-year-old Dinesh Karthik, who has been on song this season and has staked his claim for yet another comeback into the Indian team. RCB slumped to their seventh defeat when they lost to KKR by one run on Sunday.

A full-house stadium will look for a run-riot. According to Vettori, the match will be played on the same pitch on which SRH scored 277-3 against MI. "We are expecting a high-scoring game," Vettori said.