Going by the form and level of expectations, the IPL match between unbeaten Gujarat Lions and confident Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Khanderi Stadium here on Thursday will be a big ticket encounter.

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However, all eyes will be on two 29-year-old Australians: Sunrisers captain David Warner and Lions opener Aaron Finch.

The two opening batsmen have been in phenomenal form this IPL season and seem to have put their World T20 disappointment in Australian colours behimd them. It will be no exaggeration to say that the fortunes of their respective teams depend a lot on their individual performances at the top.

The two Aussies, known for their hard-hitting batting style, have shown no respect to new ball bowlers, Finch in particular. The right-handed batsman has hit three consecutive half-centuries including the sensational unbeaten 67 at the Wankhede Stadium in Lions' last game.

There is no denying that Lions skipper Suresh Raina has marshalled his troops very well. However, it is Finch's ability to take on new ball bowlers and laying the victory foundation stone that has been instrumental in Lions' roaring record.

 

What also makes Finch a dangerous batsman is his ability to stay calm under pressure. In their first match, Lions travelled to Mohali to face Kings XI Punjab. It was never going to be easy, and it turned worse when Finch lost his partner Brendon McCullum for a duck in pursuit of 161. With Raina not in the best of his form, Lions were under pressure.

The Victoria batsman held the innings together with Raina (20), and scored a 47-ball 74 to put his team within striking distance, asking his teammates to complete the formalities, which they did.

Finch again displayed his coolness with an unbeaten 67 in a high-octane encounter that went down to the last ball at the Wankhede, where Lions successfully chased down Mumbai Indians' 143 with Finch hitting a four off the last ball.

"Aaron Finch is brilliant for any team. He has scored consistently and crucial in our wins," said Sitanshu Kotak, assistant coach of Lions.

Finch's compatriot Warner has been equally enterprising for his team. He has been leading from the front and has already notched up two half-centuries this season. Unfortunately, he has been getting no support whatsoever from his opener partner in Shikhar Dhawan.

It was Warner's swashbuckling 59-ball unbeaten 90 against the defending champions Mumbai which allowed them to taste victory for the first time this season.

Warner knows importance of his runs. The 29-year-old was practicing hard, playing those inside out and straight shots on the eve of the match.

It is not easy to win matches single-handedly every time, and in the shortest format of the game, it is very important for a team to get momentum. That only happens when the top three batsmen click.

Talking about Dhawan, Sunrisers mentor VVS Laxman refused to press the panic button on the southpaw's consistent failures but said he understands the importance of the Indian getting back to his elements.

"Shikhar is a good player and a match-winner. We are hoping a lot from him. In T20 you can't win with one batsman. You need to click collectively as a unit," said Laxman when asked if Dhawan's form was starting to bother the team management.