On Thursday, the Sunrisers Hyderabad will attempt to become the first team in 2015 to defeat the Rajasthan Royals in the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL), when they host the Royals in the twelfth match of the tournament at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam.
The Royals have won all three matches that they have played to date, and top the table two points ahead of the only other unbeaten side, the Chennai Super Kings, who have played a game less.
The Sunrisers themselves are one of four teams grouped on two points at this early stage of the competition, having won one and lost one match so far. Their overall run rate leaves them in fifth place.
Rajasthan might be sitting proudly astride the rest of the teams, but after comfortably defeating the Kings XI in their opening fixture, they haven’t been at their best in defeating the Delhi Daredevils and the Mumbai Indians. However, winning when producing some poor performances is the sign of a team that has the potential to go all the way this season.
The Sunrisers were battered out of contention in their opening game of the campaign, by a typically belligerent innings from the New Zealand captain, Brendon McCullum, who struck a superb century to take Chennai past 200, and effectively end the game as a contest. However, they bounced back to contain the much vaunted Royal Challengers Bangalore batting lineup in their most recent fixture.
Although Kohli and de Villiers both made 40+, no one was able to truly break the shackles imposed by the Sunrisers bowling attack, with all six bowlers used taking at least one wicket.
Skipper David Warner led the way with a half century, being dismissed for 57 off of just 27 deliveries. Their target of 167 was reached with nearly three overs still remaining.