India posted the biggest ever total in the history of women’s Test cricket by scoring a mammoth 603 for six declared before South Africa Women fought valiantly through Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp on day two of the one-off Test, here Saturday. The hosts resumed the day at the overnight score of 525 for four with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh beginning the proceedings. Playing her fifth Test, the India skipper raised her maiden half-century in the long format, scoring 69 of 115 balls while Richa (86) also got her career-best knock of 86 to extend India’s domination. They added 143 runs for the fifth wicket.

At 576, the Indians broke the record of the highest team total in the Women’s Test cricket, bettering the previous record held by Australia, who had posted 575 for nine declared against South Africa in Perth this February.

However, at 593, the stand was broken after Harmanpreet was trapped leg-before by Tumi Sekhukhune.

Just 10 runs later, Richa departed too after being trapped leg-before by Nonkululeko Mlaba, and the Indian captain declared the innings.

South Africa put up a spirited fight with top-order batter Sune Luus (65) and Marizanne (69 not out) as they finished the day at 236 for four, trailing by 367 runs.

Delmi Tucker remained the most successful South African bowler with figures of two for 141, while Masabata Klaas was the most economical of all.

The Proteas began on a convincing note with the bat and remained safe at 29 for no loss at the lunch break.

However, the hosts struck after the break, with Sneh Rana trapping the visiting captain leg-before for 20 with a delivery that surprisingly kept low, with the partnership lasting 33 runs.

In came Luss to join Bosch, and the pair made the most of the batting friendly wicket. The duo added 63 for the second wicket, but Rana broke the stand by removing Bosch for 39.

As Kapp joined Luus, South Africa was 106 for two at the tea break.

In the day’s final session, the two batters brought up their respective half-centuries and took the partnership to 93 runs before Luus was trapped leg-before by Deepti Sharma, with the score reading 189 for three.

The stand was Proteas’ best third-wicket partnership in the format.

Nine runs later, Delmi Tucker was caught behind off Rana for a duck. But, the pair of Kapp and Nadine de Klerk played out the remainder of the day with an unbeaten 38-run stand for the fifth wicket.

The hosts did not exactly struggle with the ball. While the lack of enough turns did make it challenging out there, the ball occasionally kept low, troubling the visitors.

The Indians were decent with their fielding efforts, but a couple of close chances did not go their way.

For India, Rana was the star with the ball, with her figures reading three for 61, whereas Deepti Sharma was also impressive (1/40).

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are set to clash in Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This high-stakes encounter will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, on May 24. The match is scheduled to begin at 07:30 PM IST and both teams will be looking to secure a crucial victory in this iconic venue.

MA Chidambaram Stadium T20 Records

Win/Loss Record

The MA Chidambaram Stadium, known for its challenging pitch conditions and passionate crowd, has been a tough battleground for both SRH and RR.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have played 10 matches at this venue, managing to win just one while losing eight. This record highlights their struggle to adapt to the conditions in Chennai.

Conversely, Rajasthan Royals have participated in nine matches at the same ground, securing two wins and suffering seven losses. Both teams will be eager to improve their records and gain an edge in this crucial match.

Average Score

Analysing the average scores at the MA Chidambaram Stadium provides insight into the batting performances of both teams.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have an average score of 150 runs in T20 matches at this venue. This relatively low average indicates the challenges their batters have faced on the slow and turning track of Chennai.

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have a higher average score of 171 runs at the same venue, suggesting a slightly better adaptation to the pitch conditions.

Highest Score

When it comes to the highest scores at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, SRH’s best performance came in 2021 when they scored 177/5 in 20 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite this strong performance, they lost the match by 10 runs.

Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, achieved their highest total at this venue in 2010, scoring an impressive 223/5 in 20 overs against Chennai Super Kings. However, they too ended up on the losing side, with CSK winning by 23 runs.

Lowest Score

The lowest scores at the MA Chidambaram Stadium also reflect the challenges both teams have faced. Sunrisers Hyderabad recorded their lowest total of 134/10 against Chennai Super Kings in 2024, suffering a heavy defeat by 78 runs. This match underscored the difficulties SRH has had in tackling CSK’s spin-heavy attack on their home turf.

SRH vs RR T20 Record at MA Chidambaram Stadium

Interestingly, despite the number of matches both teams have played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, SRH and RR have not faced each other at this venue in T20 cricket. This upcoming match will be the first time these two teams go head-to-head at this stadium, adding an extra layer of intrigue and anticipation.

Conclusion

As SRH and RR prepare to face off in this crucial IPL 2024 match, the historical records and statistics from the MA Chidambaram Stadium will weigh heavily on their strategies. Both teams have struggled at this venue, but with a place in the IPL final on the line, they will be determined to overcome their past performances. Fans can expect a thrilling encounter as both teams look to rewrite their records and advance to the final.

IPL 2024 title decider will be held between the winner of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2.© BCCI

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