IPL 2024: Team Analysis: What factors make SRH's batting side so lethal this season?

Sunrisers Hyderabad delivered a stunning performance against Lucknow Super Giants, initially restricting them with tight bowling at the start and then spectacularly chasing down a target of 166 in just 9.4 overs, setting the record for the highest score in the first 10 overs of any T20 match. This commanding victory propelled them to third place on the points table, bringing their total to 14 points from 12 matches and significantly boosting their net run rate.

The chase was so overwhelmingly dominant that Lucknow didn’t even deploy their Impact Player. Much praise is due to Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who both blazed to their fifties in just 16 and 19 balls, respectively. Their partnership not only crossed a hundred runs during the powerplay but also marked the second time this IPL season that they achieved the highest powerplay scores recorded in any T20 match.

See Also: IPL 2024: Player Analysis: How did Rahul Chahar turn his season from struggle to success?

Understanding Elite Powerplay Hitter (ePH) metric in detail

🏏 What factors make @SunRisers batting side so lethal this season ❓#IPL2024 #SRHvLSG #TravisHead #AbhishekSharma #Cricket pic.twitter.com/fZMewBERZP

— Saiprasad Kagne (@KEVLAR2601) May 9, 2024

The Elite Powerplay Hitter (ePH) is a cutting-edge cricket analytics tool designed to evaluate and rank batters based on their performances during the powerplay overs. This metric scores players on a scale from 0 to 10, where the score reflects the batter’s effectiveness and impact in the early stages of an innings compared to other prominent players during the season.

The ePH considers a variety of key performance indicators including strike rate, frequency of boundaries, total runs scored, and more. This comprehensive approach provides a nuanced understanding of a player’s ability to perform during the powerplay. By highlighting the most dynamic and productive batters, the ePH offers crucial insights that can inform team strategies and player assessments.

Sunrisers Hyderabad features a powerful opening partnership with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, both of whom excel in the Elite Powerplay Hitter (ePH) rankings this season. Travis Head, in particular, stands out with an ePH score of 8.8, making him the second-best powerplay hitter in the league. His prowess in maximizing the field restrictions and scoring rapidly is evident in his aggressive approach during the powerplay.

This ability to accelerate early in the innings has been instrumental in laying a solid foundation for SRH’s batting efforts, consistently putting the team in advantageous positions as the innings progresses. Abhishek Sharma, not far behind Travis Head, boasts an impressive ePH score of 7.5, ranking him third among the top powerplay hitters this season. He effectively complements Head’s explosive starts by maintaining a robust strike rate and frequently dispatching the ball to the boundary in the initial overs.

Together, Head and Sharma form a dynamic opening duo that consistently hands SunRisers Hyderabad an early advantage in their matches. Their combined effectiveness during the powerplay not only underscores their strategic value to the team but also highlights their critical roles as main contributors to SRH’s batting force. Travis Head was named Player of the Match after his dazzling performance, scoring 89 runs off just 30 deliveries. He expressed how enjoyable the innings was, especially as he and Abhishek Sharma successfully finished the game for their team.

Head explained that he focuses on positioning himself early and reacting quickly to each delivery, which played a key role in his ability to stay ahead of the run rate. He took advantage of the favorable conditions to play an aggressive innings, highlighting his recent efforts to improve his game against spin by hitting effectively around the ground. Additionally, Head mentioned that he has been consistent with the approach he has used over the past year with the Australian team, aiming to bat with uninhibited aggression and confidence.