The Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched a spot in the playoffs in dramatic fashion in the final round-robin game with victory over the table-topping Mumbai Indians.
Image Copyright – Steve Haag Sports.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will face them despite a poor ending to the initial phase of the competition which included a loss to the Sunrisers on the final weekend.
These teams will face off for a place in the second qualifier where they will meet the losers of the battle between first and second for a place in the IPL final.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Friday 6 November 2020, 16:00
Sheikh Zayed International Stadium
To Win MatchSunrisers Hyderabad 82/100
Tie 25/1
Royal Challengers Bangalore 21/20
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Having appeared to be dead and buried at one point, the sun finally rose on Hyderabad in the latter stages of the tournament as they held their nerve while others floundered.
David Warner has led the team in quite uncharacteristic fashion providing a strong base for the players around him to attack. He is just one of three players to score 500 runs or more in the round-robin phase.
After being beset by injuries to key players, the Sunrisers found a space for West Indies allrounder Jason Holder who played a big part in getting the team over the line and into the playoffs.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan is probably the reason the Sunrisers were even in a position to make their charge into the playoffs proving nearly impossible to get away.
The Sunrisers have won four of their last five matches to make it into the eliminator after recording just three wins in their first nine outings.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
The Royal Challengers Bangalore have endured a rotten spell at the backend of their round-robin campaign but ultimately did enough through the middle of the competition to get into the playoffs.
Questions have been raised about RCB’s big match temperament after four successive losses which came when the team needed just one win to clinch a playoff spot.
Skipper Virat Kohli will need to be at his inspirational best to lift the team one more time and keep them in the hunt for the IPL trophy.
Devdutt Padikkal has been the find of the season for RCB with the opener scoring more 50s than any other batsman in the tournament.
The team seem to have a problem getting their stars to fire when it really matters putting a great deal of pressure on Kohli, who has been criticised for failing to perform for India when it counts, and AB de Villiers who has suffered his fair share of knockout cricket heartbreaks.
Verdict: Sunrisers Hyderabad 82/100
The Sunrisers are red-hot at the moment and are tipped to get over the line at 82/100.
Written by James Richardson.
