Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be locking horns with Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 21st match o the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, GT has been unbeaten so far and they will be looking to continue their winning momentum against Sunrisers Hyderabad, who won their first game of the tournament against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), when they last time took the field.
SRH defeated SCSK by 8 wickets while chasing a target of 155 runs, thanks to a superb 75-run effort from youngster Abhishek Sharma. When the SRH and GT will be facing each other, they will be looking to keep their winning streak going. SRH’s bowling prowess against CSK, as well as the performance of their top-order, will give the Orange Army a lot of confidence going into their match against Gujarat.
The Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, are on a roll. The new franchise has won its first three matches and they have got better with every game. GT won a last-ball thriller against Punjab Kings. Rahul Tewatia smashed six in the final two balls to help Gujarat Titans cross the finish line and maintain their perfect tournament record. Ahead of the key clash at the DY Patil Stadium, we take a look at the three key player battles to watch out for.
#3 Mohammed Shami vs Kane Williamson
In his opening game of the season, Mohammed Shami was too hot to handle for LSG’s batting lineup. He looked in a great rhythm and would be oozing to continue the same form against SRH. Kane Williamson, meanwhile, looked composed and played some cheeky shots against the CSK bowlers. He hit a 40-ball 32 and looked bright during his stay on the crease. While Shami will look to hit the right areas consistently, Williamson is not someone who will back down from the contest.
#2 Shubman Gill vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is yet to fire in the tournament so far, but his presence has always been a major boost for SRH, and for good reason. His spell will be crucial for SRH. Shubman Gill, meanwhile, gave a valuable lesson in GT’ last match on how a batter with intent could accelerate despite a slow start. It will thus be a cracking contest between pace and panache when Gill and Bhuvneshwar face off.
#3 Nicholas Pooran vs Rashid Khan
Both Liam Livingstone and Rashid Khan have continued to command their authority in the IPL over the last few years. The duo has locked horns with each quite a few times in the past in the IPL. The numbers suggest that Livingstone looks to play out Rashid. Both Livingstone and Rashid like to own the middle overs. Hence, it would be interesting to see who comes out on top on Friday.
