Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals by 44 runs in the second match of the Indian Premier League 2025, played on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Despite a valiant effort from Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel, Rajasthan Royals were unable to capitalize and suffered a 44-run defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Rajasthan's innings got off to a rough start with early wickets falling. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for just one run, and skipper Riyan Parag failed to make an impact.
However, Sanju Samson, coming in as the impact player, was determined to turn the tide. He played a spirited knock, smashing 66 off 37 balls, keeping Rajasthan’s hopes alive with some big hits.
Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel also looked in fine touch, scoring a quickfire 70 off 35 balls, and along with Shimron Hetmeyer, continued the onslaught, driving the ball to the boundary. However, despite Rajasthan's spirited fight, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowlers remained composed under pressure.
Harshal Patel dismisses Shimron Hetmyer for 42 (23). He added 80 runs for the sixth wicket off 34 balls with Shubham Dubey. Sunrisers have sealed a 44-run win in their opening game as Rajasthan finish on 242/6 in their 20 overs.
Harshal Patel was pivotal with the ball, taking two crucial wickets, while Simarjeet Singh also contributed with two wickets, helping Sunrisers keep the Royals in check and secure the win.
Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) produced a stunning batting display, posting a mammoth 286/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
The innings was powered by a sensational century from Ishan Kishan, who remained unbeaten on 106 off 47 balls, striking 11 fours and 6 sixes at an astonishing 225.53 strike rate.
Batting first after Rajasthan opted to field, SRH got off to a blazing start despite losing Abhishek Sharma (24 off 11) early. Travis Head took charge, smashing a rapid 67 off 31 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes, as he and Kishan built a solid platform.
The duo added 85 runs for the second wicket, propelling SRH past 130 within 10 overs. After Head’s dismissal, Kishan continued his carnage, finding support from Nitish Kumar Reddy (30 off 15) and later Heinrich Klaasen, who blasted 34 off 14 balls to maintain the momentum.
The Royals’ bowling attack had no answers to SRH’s aggressive approach. Tushar Deshpande (3/44) was the only bowler to find some success, while Maheesh Theekshana (2/52) and Sandeep Sharma (1/51) chipped in with wickets but at expensive rates. J
ofra Archer endured a tough outing, conceding 76 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket, the most expensive spell of the match.
With a record-breaking 286/6 on the board, SRH have set the second highest target in IPL history. Rajasthan Royals will now need a heroic effort from their batters to chase down this daunting total. Can they pull off the impossible? Stay tuned for what promises to be a thrilling second innings.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first. This marks Riyan Parag’s first toss win as RR captain.
The Royals have named Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Shimron Hetmyer, and Fazalhaq Farooqi as their overseas players.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, will be aiming to post a strong total. Aniket Verma makes his IPL debut for SRH.
Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (C), Simarjeet Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami
Rajasthan Royals:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubham Dubey, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (C), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Match Preview
Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad face off in a crucial IPL 2025 clash. With RR opting to chase, their bowling attack, led by Archer and Theekshana, will be key against SRH’s top-heavy batting lineup featuring Head, Sharma, and Kishan.
Both teams have made tactical changes, with Aniket Verma getting his debut cap for SRH. The match promises an exciting battle between bat and ball as RR looks to restrict SRH to a manageable total.
Stay tuned for live updates.
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