In a thrilling match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a formidable total of 201/3 in 20 overs, with standout performances from Nitish Kumar Reddy scoring an impressive 76* (42) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking 3 for 41. Rajasthan Royals fought valiantly but fell just short by 1 run, finishing with 200/7 in their 20 overs, led by Riyan Parag's brilliant 77 off 49 balls and Yashasvi Jaiswal contributing 67 off 40 balls. Bhuvneshwar Kumar's stellar bowling performance earned him the Player of the Match award in this high-scoring and closely contested T20 encounter.

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 Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Kaif shut down critics on Virat Kohli’s strike rate 

Virat Kohli's extensive experience holds immense value, particularly in an event as pivotal as the T20 World Cup. Notably, the selection committee's focus on his strike-rate during the ongoing IPL remained conspicuously absent from discussions. Irfan Pathan and Mohammed Kaif, in their roles as analysts on the Hindi channel of Star Sports, vehemently defended Kohli against critics. Despite Kohli's commendable feat of amassing 500 runs in 10 innings, including a century and four half-centuries, concerns were raised about his strike-rate, standing at 147 plus while opening the innings. This figure pales in comparison to the likes of overseas openers such as Travis Head (194 plus), Phil Salt (180 plus), and Sunil Narine (182 plus), prompting scrutiny and debate within the cricketing community.

After the SRH vs RR match, which concluded with SRH triumphing by a narrow one-run margin, there was scrutiny over the pace of the innings played by Travis Head. His contribution of 58 runs off 44 balls, though valuable, was viewed as relatively slow for a T20 encounter, sparking discussion among fans and analysts alike. Calling the innings crucial and shutting down critics regarding Virat Kohli’s strike rate, Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Kaif said: 

Irfan Pathan said: 

No matter what you say that yeah there was good bowling and everything but every cricketer should be treated equally.

Mohammed Kaif added to the conversation:

 You’re right if this was Virat Kohli I can guarantee that people would have said only 58 runs in 44 balls? What is this? Played low and there would have been debates regarding his strike rate but I believe this innings was great by Travis Head. The pitch was hard with good bowling and he changed his game.

Irfan Pathan concluded: 

But if there was Virat Kohli instead of Travis Head people would have stuck to the strike rate but here we are talking about taking responsibility for team’s victory so please treat everyone equally”

SRH will now be seen in action against MI on Monday, May 6, 2024.