SRH skipper Pat Cummins has taken the most wickets (4) for the hosts at the IPL 2024. Shivam Dube is the top scorer for CSK with 103 runs.
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will hope to bounce back after a defeat at the hands of misfiring Delhi Capitals (DC) when they play hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday. With two wins and a solitary defeat, the five-time winners have arrived in Hyderabad for matchday 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. With MS Dhoni turning back the clock in their previous fixture, CSK will be eager to upstage SRH in what promises to be a battle of sixes at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
CSK legend Dhoni is the first Indian gloveman to score 7,000 runs in T20 cricket.(PTI)
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that Dhoni’s batting against DC was the lone positive for the Chennai Super Kings at Visakhapatnam. Dhoni remained unbeaten on 37 off 16 balls while batting at the No.8 position for the Yellow Brigade. The 42-year-old failed to rescue CSK as the reigning champions lost the match by 20 runs. The former CSK skipper had undergone knee surgery last year. Dhoni is the first Indian gloveman to score 7,000 runs in T20 cricket.
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Where will Dhoni bat?
Tipped to bat at the No.8 position, Dhoni expects Shivam Dube and Sameer Rizvi to play the finisher roles against SRH at Hyderabad. Champions in the 2016 edition of the cash-rich league, Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed the highest-ever total in their backyard when they hosted Mumbai Indians (MI) at the IPL 2024. SRH are sweating on Mayank Agarwal’s form as the Indian opener struggled to get going in the IPL 2024 powerplays.
Classy Klaasen
Superstar Heinrich Klaasen is the leading run-getter for the Hyderabad giants. The in-form batter has amassed 167 runs in three matches with a strike rate above 83. Klaasen also has a strike rate of 200 against spinners. The South African batter has smashed 696 runs off 359 balls against spin since last year. SRH are without Wanindu Hasaranga who was reportedly ruled out of the IPL 2024. Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane six times. However, the SRH pacer is yet to open his account at IPL 2024.
The venue is expected to produce a big-scoring match. But also a black soil pitch indicates that hitting through the line won’t be an easy job.
Head-to-head record
Chennai have always been the overwhelming favourites in CSK vs SRH matches at IPL. CSK have won 14 games against the 2016 winners. The defending champions have suffered defeats in just five games against the Orange Army. Chennai’s win percentage is 73.68% against SRH. CSK are without in-form bowler Mustafzur Rahman in their upcoming match against Hyderabad. Rahman (7) is CSK’s leading wicket-taker at the IPL 2024. Dube is the top scorer for Chennai with 103 runs in three games. SRH skipper Pat Cummins has taken the most wickets (4) for the hosts this season.
SRH vs CSK weather report
The weather in Hyderabad is expected to be between 37-35 degrees Celsius during the match. There is no chance of rain and there will be 23 percent humidity.
SRH vs CSK win prediction
According to Google’s win probability, CSK have a 53 percent chance, compared to SRH’s 47.
