IPL 2024: Sunrisers Hyderabad Beat Rajasthan Royals In Qualifier 2, Set Up Final vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Rajasthan Royals' talented young pretenders miserably failed in a 'Slow Track Test' as Sunrisers Hyderabad's unfancied spin twins Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed spun a web to set-up a 36-run win in the Qualifier 2 and an IPL summit date with Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai on Friday. The title clash will be played in Chennai on Sunday. Chasing a target of 176, Royals were restricted to 139 for 7 ensuring a third IPL final for SRH after 2016 and 2018.

On a slow track that offered significant turn and grip as the evening progressed and no dew to help batters, Abhishek (2/24 in 4 overs) and Shahbaz (3/23 in 4 overs) forced the Yashasvi Jaiswals, Sanju Samsons and Riyan Parags to press the unwanted 'Harakiri button' in 15 minutes of pure brain fade that ended their hopes of a third final.

Their combined figures of 5 for 47 in 8 overs completely overshadowed the celebrated duo of Ravichandran Ashwin (0/43 in 4 overs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (0/34 in 4 overs), who gave away 77 runs in their quota of overs.

That difference also became the difference between the two sides eventually.

From a comfortable 65 for 1 in 7.4 overs, it suddenly became 79 for 5 by the end of the 12th over.

Abhishek, who had bowled only three overs in 15 games prior this night, suddenly got the ball to dip and turn while Shahbaz's deliveries gripped and one such saw the back of Samson, who waited for an eternity to pull over the cow corner.

Jaiswal and for that matter Parag also couldn't simply get the distance as the ball stopped on them.

The humidity was around 80 percent and hence the absence of dew only made matters worse.

Dhruv Jurel (56 not out off 35 balls) tried his bit but save Jaiswal (42 off 21 balls) all others flattered to deceive.

It must