SRH host RR in IPL 2023 Match 4: Statistical preview
Match 4 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) will see Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) kick-starting their respective campaigns on Sunday (April 2). Runners-up of the last season, RR have all their bases covered. SRH will miss out on some key names including their skipper Aiden Markram in the opener. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead the side. Here is the statistical preview.
Run in previous seasons
SRH, who debuted in the 2013 season, reached the playoffs six times in their first eight seasons. While they were crowned champions in 2016, they reached their second and only other final in 2018. After clinching the inaugural edition, RR made it to the playoffs only four times (2013, 2015, 2018, and 2022). Their second appearance in the finals only came last year.
Here is the head-to-head record
So far, the two sides have met 16 times and walked away with eight victories apiece. The two sides met once last season and RR claimed a thumping 61-run victory. Skipper Sanju Samson (55) and Yuzvendra Chahal (3/22) starred for RR.
Here are SRH's key performers
Bhuvneshwar owns 57 powerplay wickets in IPL. No other bowler has scalped more wickets in this phase. Umran Malik finished as the fourth-highest wicket-taker last season (22 wickets). Rahul Tripathi's strike rate of 158.23 was only second to Liam Livingstone (182.08) among batters with at least 400 runs last season. With 426 runs at 30.42, Abhishek Sharma was SRH's highest run-getter in IPL 2022.
Here are RR's key performers
Yuzvendra Chahal won the Purple Cap last season as he led the wickets column, scalping 27 dismissals in 17 matches at 19.51. Ravichandran Ashwin (157 wickets) is the joint-fifth highest wicket-taker in IPL. Jos Buttler scored 863 runs in IPL 2022, the second-most for any player in a season. Shimron Hetmyer scored 314 runs in 15 matches last season, striking at 153.92.
A look at the approaching milestones
Samson (3,041) can displace Ajinkya Rahane (3,098) as the batter with the most T20 runs for RR. Chahal (166) can go past Lasith Malinga (170) to become the bowler with the second-most IPL wickets. Tripathi needs 102 runs to complete 3,000 runs in T20 cricket. Glenn Phillips (288) needs 12 maximums to complete 300 sixes in T20 matches.
