The Sunrisers Hyderabad have qualified for the playoffs of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season after finishing second in the league stage. They will take on table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. This will mark SRH’s first appearance in the knockout rounds since 2020.
Led ably by captain Pat Cummins, SRH have put together an impressive run of form this season. Their consistency saw them end with 14 points after 10 league matches, with a strong net run rate of +0.414. A look at SRH’s history in IPL playoffs shows they have participation in 11 previous matches, winning five times while losing six.
An intriguing battle awaits on Tuesday as both sides chase a spot in the final. SRH will look to lean on their past experiences, having lifted the trophy in 2016 after victories in the Eliminator and Qualifier 2. However, they have also experienced disappointments, such as falling short against CSK and DC in 2018 and 2019/20 respectively.
When it comes to individual performances, David Warner, Kane Williamson and Shikhar Dhawan stand out with the bat for SRH in playoffs. Among bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been their leading wicket-taker in key matches with 9 scalps. Sunrisers will hope these senior pros can once again rise to the occasion on the big stage.
