Sunrisers Hyderabad seal a Dominant 44-Run Victory Over Rajasthan Royals
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season kicked into high gear on March 23 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, where Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a batting masterclass to defeat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 44 runs in the tournament’s second match. In a contest that showcased the explosive potential of SRH’s revamped lineup and RR’s valiant but ultimately futile chase, the home side set the tone for their campaign with a performance that echoed their record-breaking feats of 2024. A staggering 528 runs were scored across 40 overs, making it the second-highest match aggregate in IPL history, but it was SRH’s sheer firepower that proved decisive.
The match began with a surprise as RR’s stand-in captain Riyan Parag, stepping in for the injured Sanju Samson, won the toss and opted to bowl first on a sunlit Hyderabad pitch known for favoring batsmen. With no dew expected in the afternoon fixture, Parag banked on his bowlers—featuring overseas stars Jofra Archer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Maheesh Theekshana—to restrict SRH’s formidable batting unit. However, this decision would soon unravel as SRH unleashed a relentless assault, exposing the gamble’s flaws on a surface offering little to the bowlers.
SRH’s innings was a display of controlled chaos, led by new recruit Ishan Kishan, who marked his franchise debut with a breathtaking unbeaten 106 off 47 balls. Opening with Travis Head, the pair set the tone early, plundering 94 runs in the first six overs—the fifth-highest powerplay total in IPL history. Head, in scintillating form, smashed 67 off 31 balls, including eight fours and three sixes, before holing out to Tushar Deshpande in the ninth over. His dismissal did little to slow SRH, as Kishan seamlessly took charge, blending aggression with precision.
Abhishek Sharma provided a fiery cameo of 24 off 11 balls before falling to Theekshana, but the real fireworks came from Kishan and the middle order. Nitish Kumar Reddy, back from injury, chipped in with a brisk 30 off 15, while Heinrich Klaasen’s 34 off 14 balls kept the scoreboard ticking at a ferocious pace. Kishan’s century—his first in the IPL—came off 45 balls, a knock studded with nine fours and six sixes, as he toyed with RR’s attack, notably taking 22 runs off an Archer over. The final over saw two quick wickets—Aniket Verma and Abhinav Manohar falling to Sandeep Sharma—but Kishan’s boundary off the last ball lifted SRH to 286 for 6, just one run shy of their IPL-record 287 from 2024.
RR’s bowlers bore the brunt of the onslaught. Jofra Archer endured a nightmare return, finishing with 0 for 76 in four overs—the most expensive spell in IPL history. Tushar Deshpande (3 for 44) was the lone bright spot, while Farooqi (0 for 49), Sandeep Sharma (1 for 51), and Theekshana (2 for 52) struggled to contain SRH’s barrage. The total was a daunting challenge, and RR’s decision to bowl first began to look like a costly miscalculation.
Needing 287 to win, RR’s chase started disastrously. Simarjeet Singh struck twice in the first over, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal (11) and Parag (4), while Mohammed Shami dismissed Nitish Rana (11) in the fourth, leaving RR reeling at 50 for 3 in the powerplay. Enter Sanju Samson—playing as an Impact Player due to his finger injury—and Dhruv Jurel, who mounted a spirited counterattack. Samson smashed 66 off 37 balls, and Jurel blazed 70 off 35, their 111-run stand in 9.5 overs reigniting RR’s hopes and keeping the required rate within sight.
The turning point came in the 11th and 12th overs, bowled by Adam Zampa (introduced as SRH’s Impact Player) and Pat Cummins, which yielded just seven runs combined. The pressure told in the 14th over when Harshal Patel dismissed Samson with a slower bouncer, caught by Klaasen, ending his resistance. Zampa then struck in the next over, removing Jurel, caught at long-on, effectively sealing RR’s fate. Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 23) and Shubham Dubey (34 not out off 11) fought valiantly, adding 80 off 34 balls for the sixth wicket, but the mountain was too steep. RR finished at 242 for 6, 44 runs short, with Patel (2 for 34) and Singh (2 for 46) leading SRH’s bowling effort.
Ishan Kishan (106* off 47): The Player of the Match, Kishan’s maiden IPL ton on SRH debut was a blend of power and poise, setting an unreachable target and proving his worth after joining from Mumbai Indians.
Travis Head (67 off 31): His explosive start laid the foundation, dismantling RR’s bowling plans in the powerplay.
Dhruv Jurel (70 off 35) and Sanju Samson (66 off 37): Their fifties kept RR in the hunt, but their dismissals in quick succession swung the game decisively.
Harshal Patel (2 for 34): His understated brilliance at the death, including Samson’s wicket, was crucial in stemming RR’s momentum.
Pat Cummins, SRH’s captain, lauded his team’s batting firepower: “We picked up where we left off last season. Ishan’s knock was phenomenal, and the bowlers stepped up when it mattered. Those quiet overs in the middle were key.” Riyan Parag, reflecting on RR’s loss, admitted the toss decision was collective but rued execution: “We thought it was the right call, but 286 was tough. Sanju and Dhruv gave us a chance, but we couldn’t finish it.”
The 44-run margin belied the match’s intensity, with 30 sixes and a run-fest that thrilled fans at Hyderabad. SRH’s 286 for 6 was their second-highest IPL total, and their fourth 250-plus score in T20 cricket—a testament to their batting depth. For RR, the defeat exposed vulnerabilities in their bowling, particularly Archer’s rustiness, though their batting resilience offers hope for a bounce-back.
As IPL 2025 unfolds, SRH’s emphatic start—bolstered by Kishan’s arrival and their unrelenting approach—marks them as early favorites. Their next clash against Lucknow Super Giants on March 27 looms, while RR face Sunrisers again on March 24, eager to rectify this setback. For now, Hyderabad celebrates a victory that signals their intent: this is a team built to dominate, and the league has been put on notice.
