Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) in-form batter Heinrich Klaasen was the highest contributor in the biggest-ever total in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Klaasen hit the six that got SRH’s score past Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) 263/5 which stood for more than 10 years. The wicketkeeper-batter's unbeaten 34-ball 80 helped SRH post 277/3. During the innings break, Klaasen pointed out the mistake Mumbai Indians’ (MI) underfire captain Hardik Pandya made that helped SRH continue their six-hitting spree after a blazing start.
"I feel they missed the trick upfront by not bowling him (Bumrah) inside the powerplay and we have got the best strikers. They didn't use their best bowlers. It was incredible to have my best mate with me at the end of the innings who also played a fantastic knock," Klaasen told the broadcasters.
The Proteas batter thanked the groundsmen of Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium for preparing a batting paradise that helped the home team make MI bowlers feel helpless.
"Yeah, we have got the best groundsmen in the world, preparing the best wickets to bat on. We had a solid start and the tempo was set upfront. We have got fantastic boys that can play. My feet is still on the ground and keep doing the hard work and look at the next game. That was our play," added the 32-year-old.
Earlier, Travis Head on his SRH debut got to his half-century from just 18 balls. It was the fastest fifty for SRH but only for a short period. Abhishek Sharma raced to his half-century from just 16 balls as MI batters looked helpless and Jasprit Bumrah was held back.
Klaasen whacked seven sixes including four fours in his 34-ball 80. He shared an unbeaten 116-run stand with Aiden Markram. This is the highest for the fourth wicket or below for SRH in the IPL. Markram remained not out for 42 off 28 balls.
SRH batters combined to hit 18 sixes, the third joint-most in an innings in the IPL. The score of 277/3 is the fourth-highest total in men's T20 cricket.
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