Sunrisers have successfully secured a place in the IPL 2024 playoffs, marking their first qualification since 2020. © Twitter (@CricinfoHindi)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have secured a place in the playoffs of IPL 2024 following their washed-out match against Gujarat Titans (GT). The rain-affected game, abandoned without a ball bowled, earned SRH one crucial point, ensuring their position in the top four of the league standings with a total of 15 points and one game remaining against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 19.
Umpires call the captains and they are shaking hands now. It’s official, Match 66 has been called off without a ball being bowled. 🫡#SRHvsGT #GTvHRS #HyderabadRains #Uppal
— SHEELENDRA SINGH (@SHEELENDRA_1993) May 16, 2024
That marks SRH’s first playoff qualification since the 2020 IPL season. In the intervening years, the team finished last in both 2021 and 2023 and eighth in 2022, making this year’s achievement a significant turnaround.
However, SRH’s chances of securing a top-two finish have been diminished. For that to happen, they need to win their final game against PBKS and hope that Rajasthan Royals (RR), who currently have 16 points, lose their last league game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Therefore, while a top-two finish is possible, it is not entirely within SRH’s control.
For Gujarat Titans, the season has concluded on a disappointing note. Their last two matches, including the one against SRH and an earlier one against KKR, were both abandoned due to rain, leaving them with 12 points. This position places them third from the bottom, with the potential to slip further if PBKS wins their match against SRH.
The match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium was persistently interrupted by rain. Despite a brief dry spell that raised hopes for a start, the rain returned and continued, eventually leading to the match being called off at 10:10 pm, two hours and forty minutes after the scheduled start.
