Rampant Hyderabad eyes another run-feast against fragile RCB

HYDERABAD: Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to unleash its brute batting power on struggling Royal Challengers Bengaluru when the two teams face off in its return-leg fixture of the IPL here on Thursday.

Having breached the 250-run mark thrice in this IPL edition, Sunrisers Hyderabad are pushing the boundaries of T20 batting with its no holds barred approach.

While Mumbai Indians were the first victim of SRH’s new-found batting strength this season, RCB bore the maximum brunt when the Travis Head-led batting line-up powered the 2016 winners to IPL’s highest-ever total of 287/3 in Bengaluru.

If this was not enough, SRH’s carnage against Delhi Capitals — which included a record 125/0 being scored in the powerplay — brought forth the possibility of the 300-run mark being breached for the first time ever in the IPL.

And it won’t be surprising if SRH manage to do the unthinkable and that too against a bowling attack as frail as RCB’s, whose struggles with in the bowling department could be gauged with the fact that their best bowler, Yash Dayal, is at 24th spot in the overall list with seven wickets.

Placed at the bottom of the pool, RCB have conceded at least 180 in their last five matches. In the last two games, the opponents have racked up totals in excess of 200.

RCB batters have worked hard to make up for their severe shortcomings in bowling, but for such a lopsided squad in terms of balance, the task to produce an all-round performance looks nearly impossible.

To their credit, RCB fought incredibly hard with the bat but were unfortunate to have lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by a mere one run after conceding 222/6. Moreover, a collective batting effort must have pleased the RCB management to a large extent.

He was a victim of a contentious call but Virat Kohli remains RCB’s best batter in the tournament so far, having scored 379 runs to keep the Orange Cap in possession.

But hot on his heels are a few others including SRH’s Head, who is making most of his purple patch.

Head’s game is designed not only on aggressiveness and ability to cash in on every opportunity; his ability to find gaps at will makes him a compulsory watch.

Abhishek Sharma has flourished in Head’s company and Heinrich Klaasen too has made merry with the bat this season. Overall, SRH’s compelling shows with the bat have made the job of their bowlers and skipper Pat Cummins easier.

SRH are placed comfortably at the third position in the table with 10 points from seven matches. While the journey so far has been fuelled by the batters’ fire, SRH would know their bowling would be tested along the way and Cummins’ men could do well to watch out against a hurting RCB side.