Ishan Kishan Sets Hyderabad Alight with Match-Winning Ton
No one saw Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium erupt quite like this. In only the second match of IPL 2025, Sunrisers Hyderabad walked all over Rajasthan Royals with a 44-run statement win that’s got everyone talking about their intent this year. It was Ishan Kishan’s night—he hammered bowlers around the park for a blazing unbeaten 106 off just 47 balls, featuring 11 boundaries and half a dozen sixes. SRH fans barely had a chance to sit down as their team racked up a mountain of 286 for 6 in 20 overs, putting RR’s attack to the sword right from the start.
SRH’s batting fireworks weren’t limited to Kishan. Travis Head played the perfect partner, slamming 67 in just 31 balls, his innings packed with clean hits—9 fours, 3 sixes. He fell to Tushar Deshpande, who for Royals was the only bowler able to keep his head amid SRH’s onslaught, picking up 3 for 29. Heinrich Klaasen then chipped in, smashing a quick 34 off 14 balls. Whenever Rajasthan thought the storm was easing, another Sunrisers batter stepped up to douse their hopes.
But it wasn’t just batting that made headlines. The pace never flagged even after the openers departed, with lower-order cameos keeping Hyderabad’s momentum alive. By the end of their 20 overs, the scorecard was stacked with power numbers, leaving Rajasthan a mountain too tall to climb.
Rajasthan’s Response Fizzles Under Pressure
Chasing a record target, Rajasthan needed someone to go ballistic. Instead, none of their experienced batters hung around long enough. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, and Shimron Hetmyer all scored 20 runs apiece—decent starts but nowhere close to what the moment demanded. The boundaries dried up, singles and twos weren’t enough, and the required run rate ballooned out of control.
SRH’s bowlers didn’t let the pressure slip. Simarjeet Singh and Harshal Patel, both nailing their lengths, picked up two wickets each. They strangled the chase and made sure the Royals’ fiery hitters never found their stride. Even in the death overs, when RR tried to swing big, Hyderabad held their nerve and their fielders didn’t let anything through.
This win also adds another notch to Hyderabad’s belt in their rivalry with Rajasthan. In 20 IPL face-offs, SRH now sits ahead with 11 wins compared to RR’s 9. Every time these two teams meet, you can count on close games, but this one was decided well before the last ball.
It’s still early days, but this kind of dominating win puts Sunrisers Hyderabad right in the IPL 2025 spotlight. For Rajasthan, it’s a wake-up call—they’re already playing catch-up after just one game. If the rest of the season follows this pace and power, buckle up: the IPL rollercoaster has barely begun.
