By Sachit Subba • Cricket • Mar 23, 2025 15:00 PM • 157 views
Hyderabad — Sunrisers Hyderabad kicked off their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign in spectacular fashion, riding on a whirlwind century from Ishan Kishan to notch a 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The left-handed dynamo, Ishan Kishan, stole the show with an unbeaten 106 off just 47 deliveries, anchoring Hyderabad to a mammoth 286/6 — one of the highest team totals in IPL history. His innings were laced with pure class and clean power, studded with 11 boundaries and six towering sixes.
Kishan formed crucial partnerships throughout the innings — an 85-run stand with Travis Head for the second wicket, 72 with Nitish Kumar Reddy for the third, and a 56-run flourish alongside Heinrich Klaasen for the fourth. Head played the perfect foil, hammering a 31-ball 67 packed with 9 fours and 3 sixes, while Klaasen (34), Reddy (30), and Abhishek Sharma (24) kept the scoreboard ticking at a blistering pace.
Despite Rajasthan's best efforts, their bowling unit struggled to contain the onslaught. Tushar Deshpande stood out with three wickets, while Mahesh Theekshana grabbed two and Sandeep Sharma chipped in with one.
In response, Rajasthan Royals gave a spirited chase but fell short, finishing at 242/6 in their 20 overs. Dhruv Jurel played a sensational knock under pressure, smashing 70 off 35 deliveries with 6 boundaries and 5 sixes. Skipper Sanju Samson backed him with a fluent 66 from 37 balls, dispatching seven fours and four sixes.
Jurel and Samson stitched together a 111-run partnership for the fourth wicket to briefly revive hopes, followed by a late flourish — an 80-run sixth-wicket stand between Shimron Hetmyer (42) and Shubham Dube (34*). However, the target ultimately proved too steep.
Hyderabad's bowling unit held firm in the face of the counterattack. Harshal Patel and Simarjit Singh claimed two wickets apiece, while Mohammed Shami and Adam Zampa provided key breakthroughs with a wicket each.
It was a statement win for Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Kishan's brilliance and a powerful all-round performance. The early signs suggest they could be serious title contenders this season.
Stay tuned for more IPL action and expert coverage right here.
