There is no real substitute for a yorker. In an age of infinite variation, it remains something batsmen rarely find an answer to, no matter how flat the pitch or how smooth the strokes. Eshan Malinga, who trained under the legendary Lasith Malinga, has clearly embraced this old-school mastery as time spent learning from a legend inevitably leaves its mark.
On Saturday in Jaipur, this mastery was on full display. Malinga’s relentless accuracy at the death, punctuated by a flurry of searing yorkers, ensured Sunrisers Hyderabad had the final say against Rajasthan Royals, a five-wicket win at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
RR vs SRH, IPL 2026: Highlighting | Scorecard
On a pitch where 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi tormented the Sunrisers bowlers with a 36-ball set, Eshan Malinga’s penultimate over stood out as a display of rare control. In a game dominated by the bat, Malinga conceded just five runs in the 19th over, displaying exceptional accuracy in both line and length.
HOW SRH CHOKE RR
With Donovan Ferreira in full swing and Shimron Hetmyer threatening to explode, Rajasthan Royals looked poised for a late surge. It needed something out of the ordinary to stop the momentum and Eshan Malinga stepped up. He began with two suffocating dotted balls, pinning Hetmyer in place and denying him the freedom to swing. Malinga kept the RR batters quiet in the death overs. (PTI Photo)
Hetmyer managed to get Ferreira back on the strike, but it offered no relief. Malinga kept hitting the block hole accurately and Ferreira never got to him. One burning van succeeded; A low full throw that Ferreira could only hit straight down the throat of Heinrich Klaasen in the deep. Ravindra Jadeja fared no better as he failed to find a way through Malinga’s relentless accuracy.
Five balls to go, just one off him. A boundary from the last delivery barely dented the impact as Malinga had already turned the tide. Had it gone to 15 or more, Sunrisers Hyderabad might have been staring at a target closer to 240, which would have been a much steeper challenge.
At 175 for three in 14 overs, Rajasthan looked destined for a total of around 250. But the Sunrisers staged a brilliant comeback conceding just 53 runs in the last six overs. Pat Cummins also played his part to perfection, showing no signs of rust after conceding just four runs in the 17th over and beating Riyan Parag with an accurate yorker.
MALINGA STILL STILL AND STILL
If you thought Eshan Malinga’s spell against the Royals was a one-off, think again. His campaign may have started rough, conceding 35 runs in two overs in the opening match of IPL 2026 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but what followed is a story of steady rise and growing influence.
Since that game, Malinga has turned into one of Hyderabad’s key weapons. His development coincided with the team’s resurgence as they won four straight and climbed to third in the points table. In the seven games since the opener, he has taken 14 wickets at an economy of 8.8, numbers that underline both impact and consistency. Malinga’s demise for brilliance has been key to many of SRH’s matches. (PTI Photo)
Apart from the expensive match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur where he conceded 46 runs, Malinga has been nothing special. It is no surprise that the 14 scalps are now among the highest wickets in the tournament.
There were standout moments as well, a four-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals where he even took a hat-trick, which served as a reminder of his game-changing ability to deliver.
With Malinga stepping up and Pat Cummins returning to the fold, Sunrisers are starting to look like a well-rounded and dangerous unit. A side that was once questioned for its lack of bowling depth has turned a perceived weakness into a strength.
From losing three of their first four matches to scripting a remarkable turnaround, Sunrisers’ rise has been one of the stories of the season and Malinga has been at the heart of it.
Next up is a trip to Mumbai where Malinga could have a special opportunity to play in front of Lasith Malinga against Mumbai Indians. The conditions may still be a challenge for the bowlers, but if recent performances are anything to go by, Sunrisers will once again turn to their yorker specialist to deliver
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
26 Apr 2026 08:08 IST
