IPL 2024: SRH's Abhishek Sharma 'excited' for dream final after ...

SRH's young hero Abhishek Sharma is excited about the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final, a milestone he has long aspired to reach, after his bowling heroics against RR in Qualifier 2 in Chennai. Abhishek, who picked two wickets in a match-winning spell, revealed that he was prepared but unaware he would be called upon to bowl, attributing his readiness to the rigorous training sessions guided by his father. Abhishek Sharma, though not making a significant impact with the bat, made a crucial contribution with the ball. Given an over to bowl, he seized the opportunity by taking the important wicket of Sanju Samson. Abhishek was then allowed to complete his full quota of four overs, during which he claimed two major wickets: Samson and Shimron Hetmyer.

Abhishek and Shahbaz Ahmed's bowling heroics helped SRH qualify for the IPL final with a 36-run win over RR in Qualifier 2 in Chennai on Friday. Sent into bat, SRH posted 175 for nine, riding on Heinrich Klaasen's 34-ball 50 and contributions from Travis Head (34) and Rahul Tripathi (37). In reply, RR could manage just 139 for 7 in 20 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal (42) and Dhruv Jurel (56 not out) doing the bulk of the scoring. "To be honest, I didn't know I would bowl in this match. But I'm working hard with my bowling in the last two years. Special mention to my dad for this. When we were batting, it was a bit quicker. But after that, it turned a bit. Patty used the spinners brilliantly. It was his plan to bowl me. I think it's the pressure that I put in those practice sessions that he gave me the bowling. I and Shahbaz had the same plan. We decided to ask the batters to play on the back foot and it helped us," Abhishek Sharma told the broadcasters.

SRH vs RR, IPL Qualifier 2: Highlights | Scorecard

Rajasthan, who could have secured a top-two finish but faltered late in the group stage, repeated their mistakes in this game. Hyderabad, recovering from a loss in Qualifier 1, showcased a resilient performance. The Hyderabad pacers started strong, managing to contain Tom Kohler-Cadmore and eventually dismiss him. However, bringing Bhuvneshwar Kumar for an extra over inside the Powerplay shifted the momentum momentarily. Despite lacking world-class spinners, Pat Cummins' trust in Impact Sub Shahbaz Ahmed paid off as he, alongside Abhishek Sharma, dismantled Rajasthan's batting lineup. Ahmed claimed 3 wickets while Sharma took 2, allowing Cummins to manage the game effectively thereafter.

Abhishek's confidence was significantly bolstered by his experience in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he played a crucial role in Punjab's title triumph. "It came from the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy only. We had a lot of Punjabis in the team. As an individual, I was very confident. The way we practiced and the way we spoke in the dressing room, it was brilliant. When you have that freedom and backing from the management, it helps you immensely. Really excited for the final. It was my dream to play the IPL final and really looking forward to playing it," Abhishek added.

SRH will face KKR, a rematch of the Qualifier 1, in the IPL 2024 final at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, May 26.

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