Big picture - Bumrah vs Klaasen
Over the last couple of years, Sunrisers Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen has developed into one of the most fearsome hitters in T20 cricket. He was their top-scorer in IPL 2023 - 448 at a strike rate of 177 - and has begun 2024 with a ferocious display at Eden Gardens, where his 63 off 29 balls nearly upstaged Andre Russell. While all of the other SRH batters got starts against Kolkata Knight Riders, Klaasen was the sole reason they stayed in the chase as long as they did.
On Wednesday, against Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad, Klaasen could face a brand-new challenge. Well almost. His head-to-head battle with Jasprit Bumrah is only one-ball old, and he scored one run off it. In ODIs, he's faced 20 deliveries from Bumrah and scored 18 runs for one dismissal. Amid the glut of international and franchise cricket, the prospect of a new match-up between two players on top of their game is a rarity.
Given Klaasen's importance to Sunrisers, Mumbai could well keep the majority of Bumrah's overs for when he's in the middle. They will certainly minimise bowling spin to Klaasen - since the start of 2023 he averages 148.5 and has a strike rate of 193 against spin in T20 cricket. But Klaasen's no mug against pace either. He has a career strike rate of 148.45 against the quicks, and dispatched Mitchell Starc for three sixes in an over on Saturday.
Bumrah, though, is usually in a league of his own. After missing IPL 2023 with a back injury, he made his comeback to the league with a spell of 3 for 14 in Mumbai's season opener against Gujarat Titans despite two of his overs coming at the death. All of which sets up the prospect of a tantalising battle with Klaasen, as both Mumbai and Sunrisers gun for their first points of IPL 2024.
The match is especially significant for the Sunrisers, who lost six out of seven home games last season, and would love a winning start in Hyderabad this year.
Edited by SoniRita - 7 months ago
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