SRH vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2024 Recap

Indian Premier LeagueResult

Rajasthan Royals

200/7

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad · Thursday, 2 May 2024

Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 1 runsPlayer of the match: B Kumar

Match preview

SRH edge Rajasthan Royals by 1 run in Hyderabad nail-biter

Match overview

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals by 1 run in a high-scoring IPL clash at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on 2 May 2024. SRH batted first after winning the toss, posting 201/3, and then held their nerve as Rajasthan pushed all the way to 200/7 in the chase. It was the smallest possible winning margin in T20 cricket without producing a tie. Bhuvneshwar Kumar took the Player of the Match award for his work in the death overs, where Rajasthan lost 4 wickets and fell short by a single run.

The match was effectively won and lost in the final phase of the Rajasthan innings. Having scored 60 in the powerplay and an impressive 97 in the middle overs, RR needed 43 from the last five and were well placed. Four wickets in that final stretch changed everything. Losing batters at the death in a one-run game is, with hindsight, the entire story.

For SRH, the innings had a different shape. Their powerplay of 37 runs for 2 wickets was below the ground's average of 43, but they rebuilt brilliantly through the middle, scoring 94 runs for just one wicket in overs 7-15. A clean death spell of 70 runs for no wickets pushed them past 200.

Venue and conditions

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has hosted 104 T20 matches, making it one of the more data-rich venues in the IPL. The average first-innings score is 192, which means both teams surpassed the par score in this fixture. The average second-innings score sits at 179, and Rajasthan's 200 in the chase was well above that benchmark. Teams batting second have won 54% of matches here, a slight but consistent edge for the chasing side.

The powerplay average at this ground is 43 runs, and the death phase tends to produce around 40 runs. SRH's death total of 70 from that phase was significantly above average, and that surplus proved to be the margin of victory. The pitch generally offers something for seamers early before flattening out through the middle, which aligns with how both innings unfolded.

The toss is a genuine consideration here. SRH chose to bat, and their total of 201 put Rajasthan under pressure from the first over of the chase. With a 49% toss-field rate, captains at this ground are split fairly evenly between batting and fielding first, suggesting there is no strong structural advantage either way.

How to watch

IPL matches are available in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, either through a standard Sky subscription, Sky Go for streaming, or a NOW TV day or monthly pass. The time difference between India Standard Time and UK time means most IPL evening matches start in the early afternoon in the UK, typically around 14:30 to 15:00 BST. Check the Sky Sports website or app for confirmed broadcast slots for upcoming SRH and Rajasthan fixtures.

Recent form

Going into this match, the two sides were in very different runs of form. Rajasthan Royals had won four of their previous five games in the 2024 IPL season, with victories over Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings. Their only slip was a defeat to Gujarat Titans.

Sunrisers Hyderabad's form was more mixed. They had won three of their last five, beating Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Punjab Kings, but lost to Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in that same stretch. On paper, Rajasthan came in with the stronger recent record. The match result, and the head-to-head record of 13-9 in SRH's favour across 22 meetings, suggests the form book does not always translate at this ground.

Talking points

What to look out for

5 angles

Headline angle

One run the difference in 400-run thriller

Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 201/3 and Rajasthan Royals came within a single run of pulling off the chase, finishing on 200/7. It was the closest possible finish in T20 cricket short of a tie. Both sides cleared 200 across the two innings combined.

Angle 02

SRH's middle overs: 94 runs for 1 wicket

The platform for SRH's total was laid in the middle phase, where they scored 94 runs and lost only one wicket in overs 7-15. That dominance more than offset a modest powerplay of 37 runs for 2 wickets, and a clean death spell produced a further 70 at no cost.

Angle 03

RR's death overs cost them the match

Rajasthan needed 43 runs from their final five overs and should have had the firepower to get them, but they lost 4 wickets in that phase. Scoring at over 8 per over but shedding wickets at the crucial moments proved fatal, leaving them 1 run short.

Angle 04

B Kumar named Player of the Match

Bhuvneshwar Kumar took the Player of the Match award, underlining his importance to SRH's death bowling. His figures from the death phase helped restrict Rajasthan in those final frenetic overs, where 4 wickets fell and the chase fell apart.

Angle 05

SRH hold the edge in a tight head-to-head series

Sunrisers Hyderabad lead the all-time head-to-head against Rajasthan Royals 13-9 across 22 meetings. Four of the last five encounters have gone SRH's way, including this match, the 2025 rematch, and a 57-run win in 2026.

Context

Key insights

Historical · Not official

Venue par

209

Avg 1st innings score at National Stadium

74 matches · 2004–2023

Chase success

58%

Chases completed successfully at National Stadium

74 matches · 2004–2023

Head to head

13 — 9

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals — 22 meetings

2013–2026

Powerplay

45/1.1

Average runs/wickets in overs 1–6 at National Stadium

Sunrisers Hyderabad form

47%

Overall win rate — 201 matches 2013–2026

Recent: L · W · L · L · W

Historical aggregates derived from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org) under ODC-BY licence. 2001/02–2026 IPL seasons. For editorial context only — not official live match data, not a forecast, and not betting advice. Projections and comparisons above are frozen from the live state and may not match final statistics.

The rivalry

Who could decide it

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals have met 22 times, with SRH holding a 13-9 advantage. The fixture has a long history of competitive cricket, and the head-to-head record shows Hyderabad have largely had the better of the rivalry. Four of the last five meetings have gone SRH's way, though Rajasthan's 72-run win at Hyderabad in 2023 shows they are more than capable of turning the tables on this ground.

Recent meetings

Last 5

2026: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 57 runs at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
2025: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 44 runs at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
2024: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 36 runs at Chepauk
2023: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 4 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
2023: Rajasthan Royals won by 72 runs at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

Key player · Sunrisers Hyderabad

AS Joseph

Alzarri Joseph's IPL record includes a staggering 6/12 from 3.7 overs in a single game, making him one of the most destructive new-ball bowlers in the format. At a venue where the powerplay tends to average 43 runs, his early aggression could set the tone.

Full career stats

Rajasthan Royals

RA Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja offers Rajasthan genuine all-round impact. His bowling record includes 6/66 across 34 overs in Test cricket, and in T20 conditions at Hyderabad, his ability to keep runs tight in the middle phase is a key asset for a side that scored 97 in that phase here.

Career stats →

Sunrisers Hyderabad

UT Yadav

Umesh Yadav's pace gives SRH an attacking option at both ends of an innings. His experience across formats, including 10/133 across a Test match in 2018, points to a bowler who can sustain pressure over multiple spells, which matters when a chase comes down to the wire.

Career stats →

Rajasthan Royals

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill's ODI double century of 208 off 149 balls confirms a player capable of single-handedly shifting a match. In a run chase at a ground where the average second-innings score is 179, an innings of that calibre would be decisive.

Career stats →

Angles to watch

Analytical angles worth tracking

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top batter markets may carry more interest than outright result lines given how close this fixture was, with both totals exceeding 200.
Death bowling performance could be worth monitoring in player-specific markets, given that 4 wickets fell in Rajasthan's final 5 overs and B Kumar took the Player of the Match award.
The chase success rate at this venue is 54% across 104 matches, suggesting the toss and first-innings score are both relevant context for those watching markets open.
In fixtures where the margin is 1 run, total runs lines and phase-specific markets may reflect more variance than outright result prices.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Questions

Frequently asked

Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 1 run at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on 2 May 2024. SRH posted 201/3 and Rajasthan fell just short on 200/7 in a match that came down to the final ball.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named Player of the Match. His contribution in the death overs proved decisive as Rajasthan lost 4 wickets in the final phase of their chase and finished 1 run short.

Sunrisers Hyderabad lead the overall head-to-head 13 wins to 9 across 22 matches. SRH have won four of the last five meetings, including this game, a 44-run win in 2025, and a 57-run win in 2026.

IPL matches are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, available via Sky, Sky Go, and NOW TV. Check the Sky Sports schedule for specific start times, which typically fall in the early afternoon in the UK due to the India Standard Time difference.

Across 104 matches at the ground, the average first-innings score is 192 and the average second-innings score is 179. The chase success rate is 54%, so teams batting second have a slight historical advantage there.

SRH scored 37/2 in the powerplay, 94/1 in the middle overs, and 70/0 at the death to reach 201/3. Rajasthan responded with 60/2 in the powerplay and 97/1 through the middle, but lost 4 wickets in the death phase, scoring only 43 runs there to fall 1 run short.

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