Ishan Kishan’s Century Headlines SRH’s Dominant Win Over Rajasthan Royals in IPL
Sunrisers Hyderabad began their IPL 2025 campaign in explosive fashion, defeating Rajasthan Royals by 44 runs in a high-octane contest at Hyderabad on Sunday. The spotlight, however, was firmly on Ishan Kishan, who marked his debut for SRH with a scintillating unbeaten century, scoring 106 off just 47 balls. His knock ensured Hyderabad posted a mammoth 286/6 — their second-highest total in the league and just one run short of the all-time IPL record.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣 #TATAIPL 𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 🧡
A special first for Ishan Kishan as he brought up his 💯 off just 45 balls 🔥
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/ltVZAvInEG#SRHvRR | @SunRisers | @ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/8n92H58XbK
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025
Travis Head laid the foundation with a 31-ball 67, sharing a 94-run opening stand with Abhishek Sharma. But it was Kishan’s brutal strokeplay in the latter half of the innings that propelled Hyderabad to a commanding position. Together, Head and Kishan plundered 20 fours and nine sixes.
𝙄.𝘾.𝙔.𝙈.𝙄 🔥
Ishan Kishan dealt in sixes on his way to a magnificent maiden #TATAIPL 💯 😮 👊
Updates ▶ https://t.co/ltVZAvHPP8#SRHvRR | @SunRisers | @ishankishan51 pic.twitter.com/9PjtQK231J
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025
Royals Overwhelmed Despite Samson-Jurel Resistance
Despite losing early wickets, Rajasthan Royals mounted a spirited chase through Sanju Samson (66 off 37) and Dhruv Jurel (70 off 35), who stitched together a 111-run partnership in under 10 overs. Their counterattack kept the contest alive, but the asking rate kept climbing as Hyderabad tightened their lines in the middle overs.
The turning point came in the 11th and 12th overs, where Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa conceded just seven runs collectively. That pressure proved crucial. Jurel briefly reignited hopes by smashing three sixes in the 13th over, but wickets tumbled soon after. Samson fell to Harshal Patel, and Jurel holed out while attacking Zampa. The chase fizzled thereafter despite cameos from Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 23) and Shubham Dubey (34* off 11).
SRH’s bowlers executed better at the death, with Harshal Patel (2/34) and Simarjeet Singh (2/46) keeping their nerve. Hyderabad bowled 15 more dot balls than Rajasthan, underlining their control in key phases.
Kishan’s Redemption Arc Begins
For Ishan Kishan, this knock marks a strong comeback. After a turbulent 2024 season, where he lost his central contract over domestic cricket disputes and was let go by Mumbai Indians, Kishan seems reinvigorated. Sunday’s century wasn’t just timely—it was emphatic, signaling his intent to reclaim a spot in the Indian T20 setup.
The left-hander’s innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, punctuated with clean lofts, audacious scoops, and clinical cover drives. Against a varied Rajasthan attack, Kishan looked unflustered, finding gaps and clearing ropes with remarkable ease.
Royals’ Bowling Unravels Under Pressure
Jofra Archer endured a forgettable outing, conceding 76 runs in his four overs — the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. Fazalhaq Farooqi (0/49) and Sandeep Sharma (1/51) also struggled. Only Tushar Deshpande (3/44) managed to leave with a respectable return. Even mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2/52) failed to contain the onslaught.
Hyderabad might rue missing out on breaking their own IPL record of 287, having lost two wickets in the final over. But that mattered little as their imposing total proved enough.
Looking Ahead
SRH’s emphatic start has already set the tone for their season. With a power-packed top order and experienced finishers, they look well-equipped to dominate. For Rajasthan Royals, skipper Riyan Parag’s decision to bowl first on a flat deck backfired, and their bowling unit will need a quick reset before their next outing.
As for Ishan Kishan, this might just be the innings that repositions him on the selectors’ radar. On a day when the bat did all the talking, his redemption story was written in fours and sixes.
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