In the upcoming Southern Derby clash, Pat Cummins‘ Sunrisers Hyderabad will square off against Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s Chennai Super Kings in the 18th match of the Indian Premier League under the floodlights of Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.
The Sunrisers are geared up to host the five-time IPL champions for their second home game before venturing north for their next clash. However, before hitting the road, the winners of IPL 2016 would be aiming to replicate their stellar performance from their last home game against the Mumbai Indians.
Even though the match is set to unfold in the City of Pearls, it’s anticipated that the visiting team, CSK, will also bask in the “Yellove” from their global supporters, who will flock in large numbers to witness the spectacle, particularly to catch a glimpse of former skipper MS Dhoni who dazzled the stage in Vizag during their last match.
What has happened so far?
As for the current standings, SRH, having won only one game out of three, currently sits in 6th place on the points table, while CSK holds the 3rd position with two wins out of three matches.
The Orange Army commenced its campaign under the leadership of Pat Cummins. However, their inaugural match of the season proved disappointing as they succumbed to a last-ball thriller against the Kolkata Knight Riders, needing 4 runs off the final delivery with their captain at the crease.
Following their defeat to Kolkata, SRH returned to their home ground to face Mumbai Indians where they etched their names in the headlines with a remarkable display. Not only did they vanquish one of the most successful teams by a margin of 31 runs, but they also set multiple records, including the highest-ever IPL total of 277 runs.
Despite their sensational victory over the Hardik Pandya-led side, Hyderabad’s momentum was halted by Gujarat Titans in their subsequent encounter, as the Titans clinched victory by 7 wickets in Ahmedabad.
On the other hand, the Super Kings kicked off the tournament in front of their home crowd against Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing a convincing 6-wicket triumph.
Their dominance continued with another resounding home victory over the Titans via a margin of 63 runs. However, their winning streak was interrupted in their latest outing, as they faltered against Delhi Capitals suffering a defeat by 20 runs.
Head to Head Record
It can be said that the defending champions CSK have traditionally been a strong side against the Hyderabad-based franchise. In their 19 matches, the former emerged victorious 14 times, while the latter have only managed to claim victory on 5 occasions.
Key Players
Klaasen has smashed 17 sixes in the ongoing tournament, the most by any player so far
Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad): Emerging as a pivotal figure in the middle order for Hyderabad, Heinrich Klaasen has consistently delivered outstanding performances for his team. Ranked as the 5th highest overseas run-scorer in the previous IPL season, he amassed 448 runs in 11 innings, including a century, demonstrating his reliability.
In the ongoing tournament, the Proteas batter currently ranks third in run-scoring charts with 167 runs from 3 innings boasting an impressive average of 83. What sets Klaasen apart is his remarkable strike rate, which soared to 177.08 last year and has further escalated to nearly 220 this season.
Shivam Dube (Chennai Super Kings): The revitalised version of Shivam Dube has been a sight to behold for CSK fans, particularly his adeptness at power-hitting against spin. Dube has maintained an impressive average of over 50 and a strike rate exceeding 150 this season indicating his potential to thrive on the flat track expected in Hyderabad on Friday.
While he faltered in finishing off the match in the last encounter against DC, Dube showcased his composure in the first two matches, remaining unbeaten and steering Chennai to victory.
Team News from Both Camps
The home team is grappling with the absence of T Natarajan, who has missed the last two matches due to a lingering niggle. SRH is also dealing with the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga as the multi-faceted spinner has not joined the squad and there is no clarification from either Sri Lanka Cricket or Hasaranga about the expected date of arrival in India.
However, CSK received a significant setback with the news of Mustafizur Rahman’s departure to Bangladesh to expedite his US Visa process ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming clash against SRH. Mustafizur, currently holding the Purple Cap for his impressive tally of 7 wickets in 3 matches, could be sorely missed by the team.
Predicted XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Mayank Agarwal, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins ©, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad ©, Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Daryl Mitchell, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana
Prediction
In the head-to-head record mentioned above, CSK has consistently outperformed SRH whenever they’ve clashed. Given that the Stephen Fleming-coached side will enjoy significant fan support, it’s anticipated that they might clinch this match.
Nonetheless, this time around, the match is expected to be more closely contested. SRH, led by Cummins, presents a formidable challenge with a lineup featuring in-form players such as Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Klaasen. Chennai will face a tougher task in overcoming their opponents.