Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) kicked off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign in style, securing a commanding 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a high-scoring clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. The star of the match was Ishan Kishan, whose spectacular century propelled SRH to a massive total. Despite a spirited fightback from Rajasthan Royals’ middle order, the steep target proved insurmountable.

Ishan Kishan and Travis Head light up the innings

Opting to bat first after being put in by Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a blazing start. Openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma capitalized on the powerplay, with Abhishek contributing a brisk 24 off 11 balls. Head, however, stole the show with a fiery 67 off just 31 deliveries, including nine boundaries and three sixes.

The real fireworks began when Ishan Kishan took center stage. The wicketkeeper-batter unleashed a destructive innings, hammering 106 off just 47 balls, studded with 11 fours and six massive sixes. His aggressive batting dismantled Rajasthan’s bowling attack, especially targeting Jofra Archer, who ended with figures of 0/76 in his four overs. Contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (30 off 15) and Heinrich Klaasen (34 off 14) helped SRH post a record-breaking total of 286/6.

Rajasthan’s bowlers fail to contain SRH’s assault

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It was a forgettable night for Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers, who were taken to the cleaners by SRH’s batters. Archer’s expensive spell summed up their struggles, while Maheesh Theekshana (2/52) and Tushar Deshpande (3/44) were the only bowlers to make some impact. However, the damage had already been done.

Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel spearhead RR’s chase

Chasing a mammoth target of 287, Rajasthan Royals stumbled early with Yashasvi Jaiswal departing for just 1 run. Riyan Parag (4) and Nitish Rana (11) also fell cheaply, leaving RR in trouble. However, Sanju Samson led the fightback with a counter-attacking 66 off 37 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes.

Support came from Dhruv Jurel, who played a scintillating knock of 70 off 35 balls. Contributions from Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 23) and Shubham Dubey (34 off 11) kept Rajasthan in the hunt. However, the escalating required run rate proved too much, and RR finished at 242/6 in their 20 overs.

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SRH bowlers maintain composure to seal the win

Despite Rajasthan’s valiant efforts, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowlers held their nerve in crucial moments. Harshal Patel was the standout performer with figures of 2/34 in four overs, while Simarjeet Singh (2/46) also played a key role. Mohammad Shami provided an early breakthrough, and Adam Zampa (1/48) chipped in with a crucial wicket to derail RR’s momentum.

Fan reactions to the thrilling encounter

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