Quick Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad (229/5 in 18.3 ovs) beat Rajasthan Royals (228/6 in 20 ovs) by 5 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
RR vs SRH, IPL 2026: Highlighting | Scorecard
Although it was an evening game, the sun shone brightest at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur as Sunrisers Hyderabad left Rajasthan Royals scorched in their own backyard with an impressive victory on Saturday, April 25.
Rajasthan Royals posted what should be a competitive 228, a total that would test most batting units. However, it was nowhere near enough against this Sunrisers side. With the ease with which Hyderabad dismantled the chase, even an extra 30 or 40 runs could only delay the inevitable.
For Rajasthan, it wasn’t just the defeat, it was how quickly control slipped out of their hands. Apart from Jofra Archer’s early burst, there was little conviction in their bowling. The plans looked muddled, the execution even worse, and once Hyderabad overcame the threat of the new ball, the Royals were left with no answers.
ABHISHEK, ISHAN SHOW THE WAY
In the opening spell, there was a real threat from Rajasthan’s fast bowlers, especially Archer, who rushed the batsmen and immediately asked tough questions. But Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan survived the early scrutiny, helped in part by a piece of fortune, and quickly turned survival into dominance.
A thick edge here, a misjudged stop there and suddenly the pressure shifted. Once the morning storm passed, Abhishek and Ishan took full control and exposed Rajasthan’s lack of clarity with ruthless precision. Boundaries came at will, gaps opened up all around the ground and Hyderabad never looked burdened by the rate.
Rajasthan looked out of ideas after Archer’s opening spell. The lengths faltered, the fielding lacked purpose and the pressure evaporated almost immediately. It became a chase played entirely on Hyderabad’s terms, the runs flowing so freely that the required pace became irrelevant long before the finish line appeared.
In fact, it took Archer’s return in the 13th to briefly break the flow of boundaries. By then, however, the game was decidedly in favor of Hyderabad.
Rajasthan’s unraveling was not limited to the ball. Their deployment only exacerbated the damage. Shimron Hetmyer lost one in the lights, routine stops failed and even usually reliable hands let chances slip away. The sitter just summed up an evening where Rajasthan looked second best in every department.
A lack of sharpness was visible in their work, whether in the field, in their decision-making, or in the plans they attempted to implement. For the party, the homecoming was far from the reaction they would have wanted.
Abhishek and Ishan made sure of that. Their attack not only neutralized Rajasthan’s biggest threats but reduced a daunting chase to manageable arithmetic. When they were done, the heavy lifting was done and the rest of the batting unit had nothing to do but complete the formalities.
VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI RUNS WILD IN JAIPUR
Boss baby is back at it again. Defeat aside, it was a day to remember for the 15-year-old prodigy who collected his second hundred of the tournament. But the glaring concern was when he left the field after suffering what appeared to be a tight condition or a possible hamstring strain.
The youngster once again showed that his game is far beyond his years. The fire that we’ve been missing the last couple of games is back like it never left. He had to square off against Praful Hing from their previous encounter in Hyderabad. The young man paid it back with interest. Four sixes right off the bat in the first over showed that the prodigy is not here to hang around.
Despite the lack of support from his opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel showed signs of his best form, although his start to the innings was somewhat slow. It was a solo attempt by the youngster in the powerhouse. In the middle of the innings, it took Jurel to find his footing, especially against Shivang Kumar. Although he got to fifty, the lack of middle-order support was again a glaring problem.
It often looked like Vaibhav was doing the heavy lifting, which may not always be the right way to go.
CUMMINS BACK LIKE IT NEVER LEFT
For most fast bowlers, coming back from a four-month injury layoff usually comes with rust, caution, and a gradual easing back into a rhythm. Pat Cummins looked like he missed this stage entirely.
Back in action and right into it, the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain looked sharp with the ball and equally confident in the way he lined up his side. There were times when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi put him under pressure and briefly forced him on the back foot, but Cummins’ response spoke volumes about his temperament. He absorbed early damage, stayed in the contest and found a way to strike back when it mattered most.
That breakthrough, the wicket of Sooryavanshi, changed the complexion of Rajasthan’s innings. Once the teenager fell, Cummins and his bowlers tightened the screws and ensured that Rajasthan never really relaxed again. The middle order has been compressed, the momentum has slowed and what was once threatening to become a much bigger total has been pulled back into manageable territory.
His Powerplay charm summed up much of his value. Yes, boundaries were admitted, but there was also constant intent. Cummins kept asking questions, kept creating chances and never allowed Rajasthan’s batting to settle completely under control. Even though he was walking that distance, the pressure he was exerting had a purpose.
He was just as decisive even in death. With Rajasthan looking for a final surge, Cummins came back to remove Riyan Parag at the crucial moment, effectively shutting the door on any late surge. That was the wicket Hyderabad needed the most.
With Rajasthan’s middle order struggling to find fluidity and Donovan Ferreira departed without the support needed to mount a full counter-attack, Cummins ensured the Sunrisers went into the chase knowing the game was firmly within reach.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
25 Apr 2026 23:52 IST
